Rory McIlroy
of Northern Ireland reacting to an approach shot during his third-round
win over Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Marana (Arizona) - Rory McIlroy and Lee
Westwood remain on track for a semi-final showdown and a chance at the
world No.1 ranking after comfortable wins in the third round of the WGC
Matchplay Championship.
England's Westwood pumped
American Nick Watney 3 and 2 and Northern Ireland's McIlroy managed to
take down Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez 3 and 1.
Should either player win the tournament, they
will usurp Luke Donald as world No.1, and they are on course for a
semi-final clash at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
First, Westwood must account for Scotsman Martin Laird, who won an all-Scottish battle over Paul Lawrie 3 and 1 to advance.
McIlroy, meanwhile, meets South Korean Bae
Sang Moon, who continued his charge with a 1-up win over Australian John
Senden in the only match to make it to the final hole.
Westwood, who had never advanced past the
second round before this year, refused to look towards a potential
dogfight with McIlroy, saying most people who had done so had been made
to look like fools up to this point.
'There's a danger if you're looking too far
ahead. I'm just happy to be looking for a different restaurant for
Friday night,' said the 38-year-old, who spent 22 weeks in top spot over
two stints in 2010 and last year.
McIlroy, however, conceded that it has been difficult to blinker his mind from the prospect of claiming the top ranking.
'To be honest it is but in a way that's a good
thing,' said the 22-year-old, who is also on track to becoming the
youngest winner of the elite US$8.5 million (S$10.7 million) event.
'It gives me a little bit of motivation, a
little bit of an extra incentive. It's a World Golf Championship and
there are plenty of ranking points and plenty of money up for grabs.
It's nice to have it in the back of your mind.'