McIlroy makes slow start against Woods

Rory McIlroy got off to a poor start in his must-win clash with Tiger Woods in the final group games of the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final today.

McIlroy had lost both of his opening matches in Antalya - to Matt Kuchar and Charl Schwartzel - and needed to beat Woods and hope other scores and results went his way to have a chance of reaching this afternoon's semi-finals.

But the world number one hit his opening drive into a water hazard to the right of the fairway and was forced to take a penalty drop, leading to a bogey five, while he then missed birdie chances at the second and third.

At one-over-par he was two shots behind Woods, who had narrowly missed birdie chances at the first and second before two-putting the par-five third for a birdie to move one under.

McIlroy was the only one of the eight players over-par, with Group One leader Schwartzel three-under after five holes and one ahead of Kuchar, while Group Two leader Justin Rose was four-under after seven holes but only one ahead of US Open champion Webb Simpson.

Lee Westwood was also four-under after six holes but again just one ahead of Hunter Mahan.