Level Irish Unable to Halt US Charge

Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland combined for six birdies as the United States won the World Cup by two shots.

The Americans eroded the overnight two-stroke lead held by Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell in China, with birdies on the first two holes.

Four more birdies lifted them to 24 under as the Irish faded with a 72 that included four bogeys to stay 21 under.

England's Ian Poulter and Justin Rose carded a nine-under-par 63 to finish second alongside Germany on 22 under.

Poulter and Rose sank four birdies on the front nine and finished with two birdies and an eagle in their last four holes as they recorded the lowest score of the final round.

But although they caught and passed McIlroy and McDowell, who had held an eight-shot advantage over the Englishmen going into the final round, they were unable to match the Americans.

Kuchar and Woodland played solid, rather than spectacular golf in the alternate shot foursomes format as they finished with a five-under-par 67.

Their only blip was a bogey on the par-three 11th but that dropped shot was clawed back on the 12th with a sixth birdie of the round coming on the 13th.

In contrast, McIlroy and McDowell, who led by three on the back nine two years but were beaten to the title ago by Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari, again struggled on the final day.

They mixed two bogies with two birdies on the front nine to fall two behind the Americans.

A birdie on the 10th brought them within one shot of the lead but a bogey on 12 checked their progress and another shot went on the par-three 15th after McDowell's tee shot plugged under the lip of a greenside bunker.

McIlroy could only blast the ball a few feet out of the sand but when his playing partner missed the 25-foot par putt, their challenge was effectively ended.

They finished joint fourth with Australia, Netherlands and Scottish pair Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher who closed with eight birdies in a six-under-par 66.

German duo Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka did not drop a shot over the last two rounds and played the final 18 holes in a three-under 69, sinking a lengthy par putt at the last to ensure they finished joint second.

Ireland Take Omega World Cup Lead

Ireland lead the Omega Mission Hills World Cup by two shots going into the final round at Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island after Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy combined for a bogey-free 64 in the third round fourballs.

At 21 under par, the two Major winners edged ahead of Germany and South Africa, who produced best-of-the-day rounds of 61 to join the United States (63) in second on 19 under.

While pre-tournament favourites Ireland look to be in a strong position after carding eight birdies, the last two winners of the US Open Championship are well aware of the big names hot on their heels.

While pre-tournament favourites Ireland look to be in a strong position after combining for eight birdies, the last two winners of the US Open Championship are well aware of the big names hot on their heels.

“We are right where we want to be going into tomorrow,” said McDowell. “The leaderboard was not really going to mean anything until tonight, and we are two shots ahead going into tomorrow, but there are some great teams up there, some great players.

“We are going to have to go and play well tomorrow, but this is where we want to be. We are both playing lovely. I managed to heat my putter up today and make a few, and we are very excited and looking forward to tomorrow.

“When we saw the scoreboard - I think we were on sixth green - we saw Germany were off to a flyer. We actually expected that today - I think there were 18 teams within five shots of the lead.

“We knew someone was going to go low today, and the leaderboard was going to be fairly bunched going into tomorrow.”

Former US PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer was in sensational form for Germany, holing a 40 foot putt at the ninth as he and Alex Cejka played the front nine in 30.

Cejka then holed a five foot birdie putt at the 11th before Kaymer produced some stunning approaches to leave tap-in birdies at the 12th, 14th and 16th.

Four-time European Tour winner Cejka then chipped in at the 17th to card the pair’s 11th birdie of the day.

“That was kind of a bonus because I was short of the green,” said Cejka. “It was a pretty tough chip and Martin was on the other plateau on the right, so it was a tough putt. It was a bonus for us to make birdie from there, but every birdie counts and is important.”

Kaymer added: “We played very well together. We made lots of birdies and always on different holes.

“We had a slow start on Thursday. We didn't make any birdies the first six, seven holes and then we started making some birdies and even though we missed some greens, I was always pretty sure that Alex would make his up and downs so I could always be fairly aggressive.

“I played very well today, but obviously you can only play well and be aggressive if you have a partner who is playing very consistent and is always there for you.”

Major winners Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen matched the Germans’ efforts, thanks largely to a run of four consecutive birdies from the 14th.

Former Open Champion Oosthuizen put their success down to their close friendship. “We know each other really well and we travel most weeks together,” he said. “We are good friends and I think it definitely is a big thing in this format, in any team sport.

“The more you know each other, the better you're going to do, and I think we are very comfortable around each other. We do our own thing and whenever someone needs help, you ask him.

“It makes it a lot easier that we are so comfortable around each other.”

Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland dropped a shot at the par five second for the USA, before a run of five straight birdies from the fourth put them back on track.

There were three further gains coming in before Woodland rolled in a five footer at the 17th to leave them well placed going into the final round.

“Matt really got us going early,” said Woodland. “I was kind of all over the place, but he made a birdie on the first hole and then made three or four in a row.

“It was nice when I was struggling that he picked me up and fortunately I made some putts on the back nine. He had a huge up and down on the last hole that really kept the momentum going and hopefully gives us a lot more momentum going into tomorrow.”

Overnight joint leaders Australia had a 67, which was not helped by the fact Brendan Jones produced only one birdie all day.

They sit fifth on 18 under, one ahead of The Netherlands after last week’s Iskandar Johor Open winner Joost Luiten birdied the last from eight feet for a 64.

Ireland Share World Cup Lead

A four under par 68 helped Irish pairing Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy catch Australians Richard Green and Brendan Jones as the two nations claimed a share of the halfway lead at the Omega Mission Hills World Cup after an enthralling second day foursomes session.

Australia were two clear overnight after a blistering 61 in the fourballs, but had to scrap hard for a 70 in the more demanding foursomes format. 

Having birdied the second and bogeyed the fourth, the duo from Down Under had a slice of good fortune when Green chipped in from a bunker at the fifth - turning a likely bogey into a birdie in the process. 

There was no luck involved at the sixth, however, as Jones sent a brilliant second shot to 15 feet and left-hander Green sunk the resulting eagle putt. 

The three-time European Tour winner holed from a similar distance at the 13th but two bogeys over the closing stretch left the event wide open. 

“The important thing for us is that we are still at the top, and everybody is chasing us and we are chasing Ireland now,” said Jones. “We can't win the tournament today, but we sure could have fallen back in the field. 

“So just to be in the position we're in, we've got to take the positives out of that, and I think tomorrow we'll get out and both of us get some rhythm back in our game and play a more attacking game. 

“It's all about limiting your errors in this game, and I think we pretty much did that. A couple of times we slipped up, but that's just the way it is.” 

Green added: “We spoke about our strategy last night, and in foursomes especially we decided that anything under par is going to do all right. So a 70 today achieved that goal I guess. 

“A little bit of a shame to have finished with a bogey, but it's a very difficult finish to this golf course and a very demanding hole, 18. Hopefully we can work that out for the weekend and not do that on Sunday.” 

It was Ireland’s past and present US Open Champions who took advantage, the pair responding to three-putt bogeys on the 11th and 13th with six birdies, the last of which came at the driveable 16th when McDowell splashed out to two feet. 

“I think both of us are very pleased about the score that we ended up shooting today,” Said World Number Two McIlroy. “I think anything in the 60s in the foursomes format is a very reasonable score out there. 

“There is still a lot of golf to be played this week, so it will be nice to get out there tomorrow again and enjoy the fourballs and be aggressive and make a few more birdies. I think we are very pleased with how today went and looking forward to the weekend.” 

Ireland started the week as the bookies’ favourites, and 32 year old McDowell insists there is more to come over the weekend. 

“Alternate shot is a very difficult format,” he said. “We struggled to find our rhythm a little bit on the front nine. Rory really putted well today, which kept things together. 

“I've struggled a little bit on the greens the last couple of days, but I was happy the way I swung the club in general today again and Rory is playing lovely. 

“Looking forward to getting back out there into better balls tomorrow where we can both play a little bit more aggressively and get in our rhythm better. But very, very happy with that performance today - four under par in this format is a pretty good effort.” 

Only six shots separate the top 20 teams, with Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and Martin Laird in third on 12 under - Laird’s missed five foot par putt at the last producing their only bogey and denying them a share of the lead. 

Spain, New Zealand and the United States are fourth on ten under, Alvaro Quiros and Miguel Angel Jiménez combining for a bogey-free 69 that included an eagle at the 16th after big-hitting Quiros drove to within 20 feet. 

England, The Netherlands and surprise package Mexico are nine under, with hosts China amongst a group of nine teams one further back.

GMAC and Rory Face World Cup Test

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell will see their partnership put to the test once again this week at the OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup in China.

Two years ago the pair were denied glory by the Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari.

This time around, the Irish duo have been installed as favourites to go one better and win the title.

McIlroy, who at number two in the world is the highest ranked player in the field said: “Graeme and I really enjoyed the experience at Mission Hills two years ago, when we came close to winning the title.

“We only missed out by a shot, and are looking forward to forming the Irish team again and trying to go one better this time.”

The 22-year-old reigning US Open champion hasn’t played competitively since finishing fourth at the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai two weeks ago.

In contrast, McDowell will be making his fifth competitive start in a row at the high class Mission Hills Resort, Hainan Island.

McDowell added: “I was delighted when Rory selected me to be his partner again.

“There is nothing quite like representing Europe in The Ryder Cup or Ireland in the World Cup – It’s a real buzz.

“We worked well as a partnership two years ago, and we can’t wait to try to claim the title.”

The 32-year-old finished a lowly 38th in his latest outing at the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan on Sunday, an event reduced to 54-holes by heavy rain.

“Disappointing week on the greens this week,” McDowell tweeted.

“Struggled with my speed. Ball striking and short game are right there.

“Bring on the World Cup.”

Rory and Graeme are close friends off the course and following McIlroy’s much publicised switch from ISM, they are now part of the same management team at Horizon.

On-course the two Ulster golfers have developed into a highly effective partnership.

In 2009 they played together at the Seve Trophy winning three points out of four as GB&I crushed Europe.

And then last year they came together again in the cauldron of the Ryder Cup to win one and half points out of three.

They are a proven combination but they will have to see off some other high quality pairings if they are to become the first Irish team to win since Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley in 1997.

The Molinari brothers are back to defend their title and they will be joined in the 28 team field by Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen.

The United States will be represented by Matt Kuchar and his partner Gary Woodland.

Both men recognise the honour and privilege of representing the Stars and Stripes.

Kuchar, who was part of the Presidents Cup side that beat the International team in Australia on Sunday said:. “It’s exciting to think about the World Cup and representing the United States.

Woodland said: “Matt is a very consistent player, always in play.

“Hopefully it pans out pretty well.

“I have a little length to add to it, so hopefully I can drive it out there.

“He can knock it close and we both get our putters going and we can make a lot of birdies.”

“That is what we are looking for and hopefully we can play well and get the job done.

“Our form at the minute is quite good and hopefullyb that will continue in this event.”

England’s Ian Poulter has named his close friend Justin Rose to fly the flag for England.

This comes four years after they finished fourth on their only appearance as a double act at the original Mission Hills Resort in Shenzen.