Friday 23 March 2018 19:41, UK
Rory McIlroy has failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play after a second defeat of the week in Texas.
The world No 7 needed to beat Group 6 leader Brian Harman to have any chance of reaching the last 16, but produced an out-of-sorts display to lose 5&3 against the American.
McIlroy, coming into the event off the back of victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, gifted his opponent several holes on his way to being eliminated from the group stage for the second year running.
The 28-year-old, making his sixth appearance in seven weeks, now has an extra weekend off as he ramps up his preparation for the opening major of the year at Augusta.
McIlroy missed an eight-foot birdie chance to win the opening hole and found himself behind when he bogeyed the third, before failing to convert from inside 10 feet after a strong tee shot at the par-three fourth.
The Northern Irishman conceded the fifth hole when he took four shots to find the green and slipped three behind with a three-putt par at the ninth, where Harman rolled in from five feet for eagle.
Harman drained a 20-footer at the 11th but conceded the next hole after finding the water with his approach into the par-five green, only to regain his four-hole cushion with a birdie at the 13th.
McIlroy left a tentative birdie attempt short of the target from inside 15 feet at the 14th and had his defeat confirmed when he failed to pitch-in from off the 15th green.
Defeat saw McIlroy finish third in his group, with Harman top of the standings on 2.5 points and Peter Uihlein in second after his victory over Jhonattan Vegas.
Watch the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports Golf. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 2pm.
