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American Dream

McIlroy and G-Mac miss out on World Cup glory

Americans edge out the rest as Irish duo let final-round lead slip away.

IRISH PAIRING RORY McIlroy and Graeme McDowell have missed out on the World Cup of Golf title.

The United States ultimately took the honours at the Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island. A final round of 67 was enough to see Matt Kuchar and Gary Woodland triumph.

The Americans took the tournament by two strokes from Germany and England in second while Ireland – leading going into the final round – ended up in fourth.

Kuchar and Woodland were two off the Irish duo after three days, but carded six birdies and a bogey earlier today to finish 24 under par and lift the trophy for a 24th time.

McDowell and McIlroy merely managed an even-par 72. It’s the  second time they’ve let it go on the final day, having finished second to Italy two years ago. Their round started poorly – with bogeys on the first and sixth – and though they recovered somewhat with birdies on three, five and ten – more dropped shots followed on 12 and 15.

“We just didn’t have it out there,” McDowell admitted to reporters afterwards, (see EuropeanTour.com). “We had no mojo, we didn’t make anything.

“We knew what we had to do. Our target was to go and shoot four under par and that’s exactly what we needed to do. We just couldn’t get it done.

“We’re disappointed, of course, but this is a high quality golf tournament. The USA have played fantastic, England have played phenomenally well. That was the high standard that we had to live up to and we just didn’t do it.”

Watch McIlroy’s approach shot on the third, over on PGATour.com.

Afterwards, McIlroy tweeted:

“Not to be today unfortunately…. Didn’t get any momentum going at all. Now on my way to Japan to play an exhibition with Ryo Ishikawa 2mrw”.

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