Wozzilroy Enjoying Life

Rory McIlroy was on the practice green on Thursday at Dove Mountain, taking strokes with a putter in his right hand as he talked on a mobile phone in his left.

Before McIlroy teed off in the second round of the Accenture Match Play Championship, he checked in with his girlfriend, Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, who was in Dubai for a tournament. McIlroy said he watched her match before arriving at the course for his 3 and 2 victory against Wozniacki’s compatriot Anders Hansen.

Three years ago, McIlroy made his professional debut in the United States at this event and reached the quarter-finals, impressing onlookers with his game and his grounded demeanour.

Ernie Els, a three-time Major champion, predicted at the time that McIlroy, a freckle-faced youngster with clown hair, would one day reach number one. After his 3 and 1 victory over Lee Westwood in yesterday’s semi-final, McIlroy was one victory away from realising that prophecy – although Hunter Mahan was to prove too great an obstacle.

“It’s a nice incentive,” McIlroy said. “It’s nice to have in the back of your mind. And if you are struggling in a match and find it hard to get yourself up or get any sort of momentum, you think about that and you think if you can really dig deep you still have a chance to become number one.”

Since winning last year’s US Open, McIlroy (22) has split from long-time manager Chubby Chandler over a reported disagreement on the best course to promote his personal brand, decided to move from Belfast to Florida, parted ways with his childhood sweetheart and begun a relationship with Wozniacki, who started this year the way McIlroy hopes to end it: at number one in the world.

Has the pride of the Co Down town of Holywood gone Hollywood?

Asked last week about the upheaval, McIlroy said: “Things change, and you know, people move on. I felt like I just needed a few fresh ideas and – yeah, I feel very content and very happy at the moment with everything that’s going on.

“And I feel like my golf game is in good shape. I think when things are in order off the golf course, it can allow you to play better on it.”

McIlroy’s celebrity, which was budding three years ago in the desert, has since bloomed. If any pruning is necessary, it was not evident on Wednesday when McIlroy was the last player to advance, sealing his two-up first-round victory against George Coetzee under the veil of dusk.

After meeting reporters, McIlroy stopped at the range, which he had to himself. For the next 25 minutes, he hit 47 balls. Between shots, he discussed with his caddie, JP Fitzgerald, swings he had made during the round, while Horizon’s Conor Ridge, who succeeded Chandler as McIlroy’s manager, watched.

A small crowd gathered behind the range and admired the flight of McIlroy’s shots. When he was done, he walked over to the fans straining against the security barrier and signed autographs. As he exited the range, Ridge asked about dinner, and McIlroy said he had to go to the gym first.

The spotlight casts a shadow on McIlroy’s work ethic. The strength of his game is his driving, but he dispatched Hansen with deft play on and around the greens.

“I’ve been working on that part of my game,” he said. “It’s something I felt I needed to improve, to be honest.”

In his next match, a 3 and 1 victory against Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, McIlroy missed two putts inside five feet and fluffed a couple of chips, but his iron play was crisp.

Jimenez, who at 48 is old enough to be McIlroy’s father, had a warm exchange with him afterward. “Miguel told me he hopes I go all the way and get number one,” he said.

Despite the outcome last night, McIlroy has been heartened by his early results, including a second and a fifth in his first two European Tour events.

“When I don’t have my best game I’m confident I can hang in there,” he said, adding: “I’m a more mature player and a more mature person.

“The more tournaments you play, the more experience you get. I’m learning from my mistakes.”

The final round of the 2011 Masters was a painful lesson.

McIlroy held a four-stroke lead after 54 holes but closed with an 80 to finish 10 shots behind the winner and then fellow ISM stablemate Charl Schwartzel, who learned a lot about McIlroy afterwards as they travelled by private jet to a tournament in Asia.

“He came up to me, congratulated me, wanted to take photos with me,” Schwartzel said. “He joked, ‘At least the green jacket is on the airplane’. It was a very unbelievable thing for him to do. It shows his character, what sort of person he is. That’s why he’s obviously having the success he has, because of the attitude he’s got.”

In interviews, there are still shades of the smiling, wide-eyed teenage McIlroy who came to Arizona in 2009 and expressed his esteem for Tiger Woods and his desire to crack the world top 10.

“I just feel like I’m a more experienced player and a better player,” McIlroy said. “But you know, still obviously loving every minute of it, being on tour and having a good time, taking in everything that comes my way.”

Mahan Ends McIlroy No. 1 Hunt

Rory McIlroy missed the chance to become world number one when he lost to Hunter Mahan in the final of the WGC Match Play in Arizona on Sunday.

The 22-year-old US Open champion from Northern Ireland fought back on the back nine before losing 2&1.

He could not repeat his heroics of earlier in the day when he recovered from three down after four holes to beat Lee Westwood in the semi-final.

"I played a great back nine but left too much work to do," said McIlroy.

"There was a little stretch around five, six, seven and eight where I lost the match."

“I'm happy with how I'm playing and hopefully it's only a matter of time before I win”Rory McIlroy

McIlroy recovered his composure on the back nine, pulled back two holes and had a great opportunity for an eagle on the 15th but he missed the putt and Mahan held his nerve to halve the hole in three.

"When I hit the tee shot on 15 I thought 'here we go' but Hunter made a good up and down and then I knew it would be tough after that," said McIlroy.

"I'm happy with how I'm playing and hopefully it's only a matter of time before I win."

Now he is looking forward to the Masters, which starts on 5 April. He said: "I can't wait. That's what I'm building up to. I've got two events before the Masters and it would be nice to get a couple of good results before that."

Mahan was delighted with the way he held off one of the world's best players.

"I felt great with my game coming in," he said. "Rory is a great player, the best in the world right now. I knew he was going to make a charge and I'm pretty pleased with the way I held on."

Defeat for McIlroy in Arizona means Englishman Luke Donald stays world number one.

The final was all-square after five holes but then Mahan took control by winning the next three holes.

Mahan birdied the sixth and then took advantage of McIlroy's double-bogey on the seventh and bogey on the eighth.

Match Play champions

2012: Hunter Mahan

2011: Luke Donald

2010: Ian Poulter

2009: Geoff Ogilvy

2008: Tiger Woods

2007: Henrik Stenson

2006: David Ogilvy

2005: David Toms

2004: Tiger Woods

2003: Tiger Woods

2002: Kevin Sutherland

The American birdied the 10th to go four up before McIlroy finally found some magic by chipping in on the par-five 11th for an eagle.

McIlroy then birdied the 13th, only to watch the Californian roll in an eight-foot putt, after chipping out of a bunker, to halve the hole.

The Northern Irishman birdied the 14th - this time Mahan could not match him - to reduce the deficit to two down.

The next three holes were halved and Mahan took the title on the 17th.

Earlier McIlroy had beaten Ryder Cup team-mate Westwood 3&1 with a superb exhibition of matchplay golf.

McIlroy went behind on the second, found a greenside bunker on the third and then the greenside rough on the driveable fourth, as Westwood went three up after four holes.

But the world number three missed a putt from 10 feet to save par on the fifth and McIlroy birdied the sixth to bring the deficit down to one.

The man from Hollywood, County Down, drew level at the par-five eighth with a birdie putt from 14 feet.

Then he birdied the ninth, 12th and 13th and, amazingly, after being three down through four holes, was three up after 13.

Westwood hit back with an eagle on the par-five 15th but McIlroy wrapped it up on the 17th.

Westwood then lost the third/fourth place play-off to Mark Wilson. He was three down after 13 but won the next two holes to set up a last-hole finish but could not hole a 20-foot putt and Wilson won 1 up.

Results (US unless stated, UK and Northern Ireland players in bold):

Semi-final

Hunter Mahan beat Mark Wilson 2&1

Rory McIlroy (NI) beat Lee Westwood (Eng) 3&1

Final

Mahan beat McIlroy 2&1

Third/fourth place play-off

Wilson beat Westwood 1 up

McIlroy in Final Desert Hunt

Rory McIlroy fought back from three down to beat Lee Westwood 3&1 in their semi-final clash at the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson.

And it means the the US Open champion can now go to world number one if he beats Hunter Mahan in the final later today.

Westwood made the early running, winning the second with a five foot birdie putt and the third after McIlroy couldn't save par from sand.

Another birdie putt at the fourth put Westwood three up but a bogey at five gave McIlroy his first gain and from that point on the Northern Irishman never looked back.

He won the next with a birdie putt from 28 feet, made the match all square with a 15 footer for birdie on the eighth and made it a third birdie in four holes at the ninth to turn turn one up.

After 10 and 11 were halved, McIlroy pressed the accelerator again and produced winning birdies at 12 and 13 to go three up.

Westwood won his first hole since the fourth with a birdie at 15 to cut the gap to two down but, after the 16th was halved, he handed McIlroy the match via a bogey at the long par four 17th.

Always in front

In the other semi-final, Mahan was always in front after winning the first via a bogey from fellow American Mark Wilson.

Mahan won the next to go two up but could never build a significant lead.

Wilson, a winner of the Humana Challenge earlier this year, three times reduced the lead to a single hole, once with a birdie at five and twice with par threes at three and 12.

But when Mahan won the 15th with a birdie three to go two up again, Wilson couldn't rally for a final time. Pars at the 16th and 17th were enough to give Mahan a 2&1 win and secure his place in the final.

McIlroy Still in Match Play Mix

Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood are still on course for a semi-final clash at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson.

McIlroy overcame Ryder Cup teammate Miguel Angel Jiménez 2 and 1 in the third round, while Westwood beat Tiger Woods' conqueror Nick Watney - the man who had knocked him out the last two years - by a 3 and 2 margin.

It was the first time in 12 attempts that the Englishman had made it into the last 16, but he looks in the mood to go much further.

He next plays Martin Laird, who defeated fellow Scot Paul Lawrie 3 and 1 in a game which could have big implications for the Ryder Cup qualifying race.

Victory on Sunday would put Westwood back as World Number One ahead of Luke Donald - McIlroy has the same target for the weekend - and so far he has repeated Donald's feat in winning 12 months ago, never trailing in any game and never being taken to the final hole either.

He has actually led for 48 of his 49 holes so far and said: "I feel in control of nearly every part of my game.

"I did some good work on my chipping last week and played some really nice ones. It was nice to get my own back. I didn't want to make it (losing to Watney) a habit."

He birdied the first two holes, went three up after the American missed the green at the ninth, then stretched the gap to four by almost holing his approach to the next.

Westwood was bunkered on the 12th and lost it to a par three, but he did wonderfully well to halve the 583 yard 13th in birdies after his chip hit the hole and rolled ten feet away. Halves at the next three finished things off.

Former Open Champion Lawrie had gone all 18 holes before beating Justin Rose and Ryo Ishikawa, but was in trouble from the moment he bogeyed the first and Laird birdied the long second.

Laird stretched his advantage to three "against the head" at the short 12th, holing from seven feet and seeing the 43 year old miss from five, but Lawrie's two-putt birdie on the next brought him back to two down.

It was all over, though, when Lawrie failed to get up and down from sand on the 17th.

McIlroy turned three up after some dazzling iron play. But for missing twice from under five feet and once from eight feet the 22 year old third seed would have been out of sight.

The gap twice came back to two early on the back nine, McIlroy twice fluffing chips, but he delivered the final nail in the coffin with another superb approach to the 17th.

Last year's runner-up Martin Kaymer found American Matt Kuchar too hot to handle despite two opening birdies, losing 4 and 3, while Hunter Mahan beat Steve Stricker by the same margin in a match between Ryder Cup colleagues.

Kuchar, a semi-finalist last year, was also at The Celtic Manor Resort and he is next for Mahan.

Another player from that match, Swede Peter Hanson, beat Brandt Snedeker 5 and 3 and will now face another American in Mark Wilson, a surprisingly easy winner over Dustin Johnson.

“I love match play,” said Hanson. “I think it's the best format ever. You only have to play one guy at a time. Here is so much fun and I think my attitude has been very good this week and I have been hitting this ball very well.”

McIlroy had to wait to discover his next opponent. Australian John Senden and Korean Bae Sang-moon were level with three to play.

McIlroy said: "I hit some really good irons and felt I hit a lot of quality shots, especially coming down the stretch when I needed to.

"I'm driving the ball really well and that's big positive.

"Miguel told me he hopes I go all the way and get number one."

Laird said after his win over Lawrie, who coached him as Open Champion over a decade ago: "It was surreal playing against him and a shame we were paired together.

"I really didn't play well the last two weeks, but my coach got me sorted out.

"I'm looking forward to playing Lee and if I keep playing like I am it will be a good game."

He lives in nearby Scottsdale and felt that knowledge of the desert conditions helped him, Lawrie more than once misjudging how far his ball was flying.

As he did against Masters Tournament champion Charl Schwartzel, Bae sank a short but testing putt on the final green to beat Senden and earn the right to tackle McIlroy.

YE Yang Knocks out GMAC

Korea’s Y E Yang became the first player through to the second round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship with a 2 and 1 victory over Graeme McDowell.

The 2009 US PGA Championship took a topsy-turvy contest when he birdied the 17th from five feet.

It was a repeat of the pair’s third-round contest 12 months ago, when Yang beat the 2010 US Open Champion 3 and 2.

Yang’s win set up a second round contest with either Hunter Mahan or Zach Johnson, and Mahan was one up on his Ryder Cup teammate with three to play.

Also playing in the Ben Hogan bracket, Steve Stricker and Louis Oosthuizen were one up at the turn against Kevin Na and Aaron Baddeley respectively.

In the Sam Snead bracket, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño took the opening hole against Tiger Woods with a birdie, and doubled his lead with a 25 footer at the next.

Matteo Manassero was also two up, against another American in Webb Simpson as their match reached the turn, while Paul Lawrie also led by two against Justin Rose.

"I'm playing good - today is a big mountain over," said Yang, whose run to last-years quarter-finals represented his best performance in the event.

“I made six birdies today, I played decent golf but I ran into a man that played extremely well,” said McDowell.

“I felt like I had to follow him all day long, and I did most of the day, but he didn't put a foot wrong. 

“That's the beauty of this tournament. It's not the beauty - it could be the beast of this tournament, as well. You just run into the wrong guy on the wrong day, and you have got your work cut out. I had my work cut out today, and I didn't take care of business, so I’m disappointed.”