McIlroy suffers heavy loss

Rory McIlroy was on the receiving end of an absolute hammering at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson today.

The 21-year-old, who could have ended this week as the world number three and ahead of Tiger Woods for the first time in his life, suffered an eight and seven defeat to American Ben Crane.

There has only ever been one bigger loss in the 12-year history of the event. That was when Woods crushed Canadian Stephen Ames 9&8 five years ago.

But Northern Ireland will still have a representative in the last 16 as US Open champion Graeme McDowell reached the third round for the first time with a 4&2 victory over Ryder Cup team-mate Ross Fisher.

McIlroy fell behind instantly by bogeying the first and was then left helpless as Crane, currently ranked 38th in the world, breezed to the turn in an approximate five under par 31.

That was good enough for six-hole lead, McIlroy then started the back nine as he began the match and after finding more trouble on the next he conceded without ever reaching the green.

In the first of two clashes between members of Europe’s Ryder Cup side last October McDowell lost the first to Fisher, but was soon in control.

The Englishman was a semi-finalist two years ago and also won golf’s other World Match Play event that season, but after coming back from two down to level by the seventh he immediately lost the next two.

Twice Fisher cut the gap to one, but he conceded the 14th and McDowell chipped to five feet for a winning birdie on the next.

Paul Casey’s hopes of a third successive final were hanging by a thread when he trailed Australian Jason Day by three with five to play.

Casey, having squeezed through at the first extra hole in another Ashes duel with Richard Green on the opening day, bogeyed the fourth and seventh and was unable to make a real impression on his opponent around the turn.

In the other European Ryder Cup duel Luke Donald was one up on Edoardo Molinari with six to go, while in the one game featuring two of Corey Pavin’s side at Celtic Manor fourth seed Phil Mickelson turned three down to rising star Rickie Fowler.

Ian Poulter’s conqueror Stewart Cink lost 4&3 to Korean YE Yang, while Thomas Bjorn, having put out Woods at the 19th in one of the stand-out performances of the opening day, was level with twice winner Geoff Ogilvy after eight.

World number one Lee Westwood, who has never made it to Friday in 10 previous attempts, was two down after six to American Nick Watney – the player who beat him last year – but Justin Rose was level with second seed Martin Kaymer after four.

Crane said: ``That was one of the best rounds I've ever played in my life. Rory had a couple of balls in the desert, but I played exceptional and the round went all my way.''

McDowell, a stablemate of Fisher, stated: “It’s always funny against a friend. It’s difficult to get the killer instinct, that edge that you need.

“We threw each other a few holes, but thankfully I was able to hang in there and get the job done. It wasn’t pretty, but sometimes you can win ugly.”

He next plays Yang, who beat Woods head-to-head for his first major title two years ago.