Mark Ferguson reports as the golf star is subjected to a rare defeat in London…
Defending World Match Play champion Graeme McDowell suffered his third ever defeat at the hands of Mikko Ilonen on day two of the World Match Play Championship at the London Golf Club.
The Northern Irishman has shown remarkable amounts of grit and determination to claw his way back into matches in the past and he began his comeback charge once again with birdies on the 11th, 13th and 15th to reduce the deficit to one with three holes to play.
But the comeback was brought to a halt when he missed a birdie putt at the 17th and Ilonen closed out the match to get off the mark in the event.
However, it was a better day for McDowell’s Ryder Cup partner Victor Dubuisson who maintained his 100 per cent record with a 3&2 win over Shane Lowry.
Joost Luiten is the only other remaining contender with his 100 per cent record intact – he saw off Alexander Levy with a 4&3 victory.
Stephen Gallacher continued his poor form from the Ryder Cup and exited the event after suffering back-to-back defeats.
It looked like he was going to scrape a point, but in cruel fashion his opponent Pablo Larrazabal chipped in from 30 yards on the 18th. Gallacher’s fate was sealed when he missed the subsequent putt from 15 yards.
Henrik Stenson produced an outstanding display to come back from three down to beat Francesco Molinari 2&1 – the Swede was eight under over his last nine holes. In the other match from the Palmer pool, last year’s runner up Thongchai Jaidee was beaten 2&1 by George Coetzee.
Ahead of tomorrow’s final round of group matches, the McCormack pool is set up very interestingly with all four players currently tied on two points.
European Ryder Cup star Jamie Donaldson beat Jonas Blixt 3&2, while US star Patrick Reed fought hard to a 2&1 win over Paul Casey.
In what promises to be a cracker of a match, Donaldson and Reed will go head-to-head tomorrow to fight for their place in this weekend’s quarter-finals.