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McDowell dumped out of World Match Play

The news wasn’t any better for Shane Lowry.

GRAEME MCDOWELL’S DEFENCE of the World Match Play Championship ended in disappointing fashion as he suffered his second defeat in as many days to bow out at the group stages for the first time.

The Northern Irishman knew he had to get the better of Joost Luiten at the London Golf Club in order to book his place in Saturday’s quarter-finals but slipped to defeat on the 17th hole.

Luiten, who was the only player to win all three of his group games, birdied three of the closing four holes to end any hopes McDowell had of staging a late comeback. He will now face Pablo Larrazabal in the knock-out stages after the Spaniard defeated Shane Lowry 2&1.

McDowell had extended his imperious record at the event to 15 wins from seventeen matches earlier in the week with an opening win over Alexander Levy but his elimination, along with Lowry’s, means there will be no Irish involvement over the weekend.

Patrick Reed’s copybook was blotted on Friday by fellow Ryder Cup player Jamie Donaldson but the American was already assured of progression after wins over Jonas Blixt and Paul Casey. He’ll play South African George Coetzee in the first quarter-final.

Both Donaldson and Stephen Gallacher have the weekend off.

There is an all Swedish clash between Jonas Blixt and former World number two Henrik Stenson after the former secured the half required to pip 2006 winner Casey to the post.

Victor Dubuisson faces Mikko Ilonen in the other knock-out match with the semi-finals and final scheduled to take place on Sunday.

Ireland captain Porterfield returns home from pre-World Cup tour

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