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Cabrera-Bello carrying home hopes
McDowell downs Garcia in extra-hole thriller
Cabrera-Bello carrying home hopes
Rafael Cabrera-Bello came from behind to beat compatriot Alvaro Quiros and secure a tie with Graeme McDowell in the last four of the Volvo World Match Play Championship.
The Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner was three down after seven, but won six holes out of eight on the back nine for a 3 and 1 victory.
And with Northern Ireland’s McDowell knocking out Sergio Garcia at the first extra hole, Cabrera-Bello will be carrying local expectations on his own on the final day at Finca Cortesin.
“I got to play with a friend in Alvaro – I’m very happy for me but I feel sorry for him, and he's such a good guy,” said the 27 year old, who earlier in the day beat Robert Karlsson in the last 16. “We had a good match today. I feel like I'm playing really good.
“This morning I recovered in a tough game, being two down with five to play, and now this afternoon, three down after nine and being able to win, I feel really proud of that.”
McDowell, a former US Open Champion and the man who holed the winning putt for Europe at The 2010 Ryder Cup will start as favourite, but Cabrera-Bello believes he is capable of upsetting the World Number 20.
“I have to play G Mac, and he has a lot of experience and is a Ryder Cup hero, so he's obviously going to be a very, very tough guy to beat,” he added.
“I'm going to try my best and I'm playing good. Hopefully I can start as good as I did on my first two matches and if I don't, I know I can come from behind and make it through. So we'll just see what happens.”
McDowell was left to breathe a huge sigh of relief. He was comfortable enough against Richard Finch in the morning, but then had to go into extra holes against Garcia when he missed a five footer for the match on the last.
The Spanish star was favourite when they returned to the same hole, but charged a 15 foot putt for victory four feet past and missed it after McDowell had holed from five.
"It wasn't exactly El Clasico and I feel like I dodged a bullet there," said the 2010 US Open Champion.
"I kind of resigned myself to the fact that I was going home, but sometimes you have to win ugly and sometimes to win you need what just happened to me. I count myself lucky."
Garcia was disappointed to go out, but was pleased to have reached the last eight despite not firing on all cylinders.
“I’m playing so badly this could happen at any moment,” he said.
“Making it to the quarter finals having played so badly means it was a good tournament. I had no good quality shots.
“He gave me some chances that I could not take and I have been saying it from the first day that I have not felt comfortable and I am not happy with my game.”
World Match-Play Championship scores on Saturday at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Casares, Andalucia:
Quarter-finals
Paul Lawrie (SCO) bt Retief Goosen (RSA) 6 and 5
Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) bt Brandt Snedeker (USA) 4 and 3
Graeme McDowell (NIR) bt Sergio Garcia (ESP) 19th hole
Rafael Cabrera Bello (ESP) bt Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 3 and 1
Lawrie seals semi-final spot
Paul Lawrie continued to enjoy his 500th European Tour event as the Scot moved into the last four of the Volvo World Match Play Championship.
The former Open Champion is through to the semi-finals at Finca Cortesin after superb wins over Thomas Björn and Retief Goosen.
First 43 year old Lawrie despatched Bjorn 5 and 4 - the Dane bogeying five of the first eight holes - and then he did not drop a stroke in beating the two-time US Open Champion 6 and 5 in blustery conditions.
It is a big week for the Scottish golfer, already fifth in The Ryder Cup points race and with a chance to move to second - especially after beating Swede Peter Hanson, the man currently in that spot, when they met at the group stage.
Lawrie has not played in the match since 1999, the year he came from a Major record ten shots back at Carnoustie to beat Jean Van de Velde and Justin Leonard in a play-off.
“I'm not thinking about there even if I win this week,” he insisted. “A lot of things could happen and a lot of tournaments to be played. Two or three guys could go on an unbelievable run and win two or three events, and you could easily get passed.
“If things go well tomorrow, then obviously it's a step closer for me, but that's all it is. I don't see anything changing this week, even if I win, which we are a long way away from.
“I think one of the big disappointments of my career is I've only played once in it, so I'm keen to get in this time - especially with Ollie as Captain, I think he's going to be magnificent as Captain.”
Lawrie will play Nicolas Colsaerts, through to the semi-finals for the second year running after beating Brandt Snedeker 4 and 3.
World Match-Play Championship scores on Saturday at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Casares, Andalucia:
Quarter-finals
Paul Lawrie (SCO) bt Retief Goosen (RSA) 6 and 5
Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) bt Brandt Snedeker (USA) 4 and 3
Graeme McDowell (NIR) bt Sergio Garcia (ESP) 19th hole
Rafael Cabrera Bello (ESP) bt Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 3 and 1
McDowell downs Garcia in extra-hole thriller
Former US Open champion Graeme McDowell defeated Spanish star Sergio Garcia in a thrilling extra-hole duel to reach the Volvo World Match Play Championship semi-finals on Saturday.
CASARES, Spain, May 19, 2012 (AFP) - World number 20 McDowell, who had knocked out England's Richard Finch in the morning's last 16, was forced into a 19th hole decider after missing a straightforward five-foot putt on the 18th.
Garcia wasted his reprieve, however, when he pushed his putt four feet past the hole after the Northern Irishman had held his from five feet.
"It wasn't exactly El Clasico and I feel like I dodged a bullet there," said 2010 US Open champion McDowell.
"I kind of resigned myself to the fact that I was going home, but sometimes you have to win ugly and sometimes to win you need what just happened to me. I count myself lucky."
Garcia shrugged off the defeat, admitting he had been happy to make the last eight after seeing off England's Tom Lewis 4 and 3 in the last 16.
"Making it to the quarter finals having played so badly means it was a good tournament. I had no good quality shots," he said.
McDowell will face Rafael Cabrera-Bello, the last remaining Spaniard, in Sunday's semi-finals.
Cabrera-Bello came from behind to beat compatriot Alvaro Quiros 3 and 1.
The Dubai Desert Classic winner was three down after seven, but won six holes out of eight on the back nine for a memorable victory.
"I got to play with a friend in Alvaro. I'm very happy for me but I feel sorry for him, and he's such a good guy," said the 27-year-old, who beat Robert Karlsson in the morning.
Sunday's other semi-final sees 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie, playing in his 500th European Tour event, facing Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium.
Lawrie, currently fifth in the Ryder Cup points table, defeated Thomas Bjorn 5 and 4 in the last 16 before seeing off South Africa's Retief Goosen 6 and 5.
Colsaerts defeated Brandt Snedeker of the United States 4 and 3 in his quarter-final.
World Match-Play Championship scores on Saturday at the Finca Cortesin Golf Club, Casares, Andalucia:
Last 16
Retief Goosen (RSA) bt Robert Rock (ENG) 3 and 2
Brandt Snedeker (USA) bt Camilo Villegas (COL) 3 and 2
Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) bt Justin Rose (ENG) 4 and 3
Alvaro Quiros (ESP) bt Ian Poulter (ENG) 4 and 3
Graeme McDowell (NIR) bt Richard Finch (ENG) 3 and 2
Sergio Garcia (ESP) bt Tom Lewis (ENG) 4 and 3
Paul Lawrie (SCO) bt Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 5 and 4
Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) bt Robert Karlsson (SWE) 1 up
Quarter-finals
Paul Lawrie (SCO) bt Retief Goosen (RSA) 6 and 5
Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) bt Brandt Snedeker (USA) 4 and 3
Graeme McDowell (NIR) bt Sergio Garcia (ESP) 19th hole
Rafael Cabrera Bello (ESP) bt Alvaro Quiros (ESP) 3 and 1