Graeme McDowell can take a huge step towards his third Ryder Cup cap if he wins the Volvo World Match Play in Spain today. © Pictures courtesy of Volvo in GolfGraeme McDowell emerged as the hot favourite to claim the Volvo World Match Play Championship when Sergio García three-putted from nowhwere at the first extra hole to send the Portrush man into the last four at Finca Cortesín.

Darren Clarke © Pictures courtesy of Volvo in GolfGraeme McDowell only had to go through to motions in a dead rubber to cruise into the last 16 of the Volvo World Match Play in Spain. But Darren Clarke’s miserable run of form since winning The Open continued when he lost to Robert Rock and Justin Rose at Finca Cortestin near Marbella.

Graeme McDowell’s three wood to the 18th set up a match-winning birdie against Robert Karlsson at Finca Cortesin.Ryder Cup skipper Jose Maria Olazabal recently described Graeme McDowell as a matchplay “bulldog.” True to form, the Portrush man came back from two down after eight holes and one down with three to play in his opening match at the Volvo World Match Play Championship to beat Swede Robert Karlsson one up thanks to a sublime finish at Finca Cortesín near Marbella.

Rory McIlroy want the Volvo World Match Play to return to its knockout roots.

Not that was fun. Rory wins the 2006 West of Ireland at Rosses Point.The Holywood hotshot was hammered five up by Masters champion Angel Cabrera last week.

And while that would have seen him eliminated under the old formula in place for 43 years at Wentworth, he’s dead against the round robin format that confused fans watching the action in Spain.

Ross Fisher reminded everyone why he might be England’s brightest major championship prospect when he clinched the Volvo World Match Play title with an impressive 4 and 3 victory over American Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim.

Ross Fisher and his Irish manager Conor Ridge, embrace on the 15th at Finca CortesinNot only did he lift the €750,000 top prize to move to fourth in the Race to Dubai, he also lifted huge weight off his shoulders with a victory that could prove to be a major stepping stone in every sense.

Anthony Kim crushed Robert Allenby 5 and 4 in a “grudge” match to clinch a Volvo World Match Play final showdown with England’s Ross Fisher.

Anthony KimDebutants in the revamped championship, both men will be looking for their first wins for 16 months at Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol.

Fisher had to go to the third extra hole to beat Masters champion Angel Cabrera in a thrilling match he should have closed out at the 36th.

Rory McIlroy believes he can still win the Race to Dubai despite his Volvo World Match Play Championship exit in Spain.

The Holywood kid, 20, won two of his three matches but could only finish second in his group behind the impressive Masters champion Angel Cabrera who faces England’s Ross Fisher in today’s semi-finals with Robert Allenby and Anthony Kim squaring off in the other half of the draw.

Rory McIlroy won three of the last four holes to beat Simon Dyson 2 up and keep his hopes alive of qualifying for the semi-finals of the Volvo World Match Play in Spain.

McIlroy must beat Stenson in SpainThe Ulsterman, 20, was one down playing the 15th but won that one with a par and then edged clear by holing a 20 footer for birdie at the par three 17th.

A birdie four at the last, combined with Henrik Stenson's 2 up win over Angel Cabrera means that all players in Group C are tied on points with one win apiece.

It’s safe to say that Rory McIlroy has never walked across a Spanish bullring. But there was certainly blood in the sand on the Costa del Sol yesterday as he was gored by five holes by Angel Cabrera in the first round of the Volvo World Match Play Championship.

The Masters champion started in typically skittish form but El Pato became El Toro as the day wore on and the Argentinian combined some impressive power-hitting with the putting skills of an Augusta National winner to cruise to an emphatic victory that leaves the Ulsterman struggling to survive.

Paul Casey insists he won’t play in pain in Spain as chases down Race to Dubai leader Lee Westwood at the Volvo World Match Play.

The English ace is desperate to get back on the winning trail after three months on the sidelines with a rib injury.

But he’s not quite 100 percent and vowed that he won’t play on at all costs in the 16-man matchplay showdown at Finca Cortesin.

The pressure is on in the Race to Dubai but Rory McIlroy reckons it will only bring out the best in him.

Ranked third in the money list chase, €209,245 behind Westwood, McIlroy knows he could go top if he takes home the €750,000 winner’s cheque.

Just €541,667 will count in the Race to Dubai as the event has a limited field but it could still be enough to regain top spot with the HSBC Champions, the Hong Kong Open and the Dubai World Championship to come over the final three weeks of the season.

Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy need to get their putting boots on to avoid being trampled in the Race to Dubai.

The pair struggled badly on the greens in their last outing in Portugal and can’t afford any more slip ups with just four events to go in the quest to become European No 1.

Rory McIlroy wants to become the first Irish winner of next month's €3.25m Volvo World Match Play Championship.

Finca CortesinAnd that means he is skipping the European Tour's clashing €3.3m Barclays Singapore Open, where Padraig Harrington and Phil Mickelson will go head to head.

The Holywood star, 20, reckons he has a better chance of winning the Race to Dubai by heading to Spain to take on his main rivals for the European money title in the "Champions League" style matchplay tournament.