Rory McIlroy has lost in the World Match Play Championship final to Hunter Mahan. The defeat means the 22-year-old missed the chance to become World Number One as the American took his second career Match Play crown.
Mahan was able to turn this excellent tee-shot on the sixth into a run of four birdies in the next five holes.The 29-year-old would go four up after almost holing another approach at the 10th.Mahan's Northern Irish opponent had already knocked out another top rank contender, arch-rival Lee Westwood, in the semi-final.McIlroy battled back from three down after four holes in that match and continued to show his class with an eagle on the 11th.That battle with Westwood may have taken a lot out of McIlroy though, and the Californian secured a two-and-one victory at the 17th, adding this WGC title to his collection. He now has four PGA crowns to his name.