McDowell tops in desert showdown

Graeme McDowell survived a dramatic back-nine comeback to beat Pádraig Harrington 2 up in the WGC-Accenture Match Play in an action-packed desert showdown

Dubliner Harrington missed three putts inside five feet — three- putting twice — to trail McDowell by two holes at the turn and went three down following a double bogey at the 10th in last night’s weather delayed first round.

As Shane Lowry chipped in at the 11th and 12th for birdies to come from one down to one up against an out-of-sorts world No 1 Rory McIlroy and then eagled the next with a sensational 258 yard approach to three feet to double his lead, Harrington and McDowell produced some late fireworks of their own.