Rory McIlroy booked his place in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship final after coming from three down to beat Lee Westwood 3&1 with a scintillating seven-birdie display Sunday. The Northern Irish world No. 2 sealed victory on the 17th green, where Westwood missed an eight-foot par putt. He was to face American Hunter Mahan in the title match later Sunday at Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. Mahan never trailed on his way to a 2&1 victory over compatriot Mark Wilson and, like McIlroy, he will appear in the Match Play final for the first time. Should McIlroy go on to clinch his first World Golf Championships title, he would depose Britain's Luke Donald as world No. 1 when the rankings are issued Monday. Sunday's semifinal between McIlroy and world No. 3 Westwood had been hugely anticipated, and it lived up to expectations with stunning twists and turns along with top-quality golf. Westwood made a sizzling start on a cool clear morning in the Arizona desert, two birdies in the first four holes helping him go three up on McIlroy. However, the Englishman bogeyed the par-four fifth, after missing a downhill putt from 10 feet, and McIlroy seized control with three birdies in the next four holes. The mop-haired Northern Irishman drained a 30-footer at the par-three sixth, a 15-footer at the par-five eighth and an eight-footer at the ninth to reach the turn one up. McIlroy then drained a 25-foot birdie putt at the par-three 12th, pumping his right fist in celebration, to go two up on his opponent. An errant drive by Westwood at the par-five 13th ended up in the collar of a woman's shirt and McIlroy, who reached the green in two, two-putted for birdie there to go three up. Westwood immediately responded with a stunning eagle at the driveable par-four 15th where he sank an 18-foot putt to trim McIlroy's advantage. Stanford wins HSBC Angela Stanford of the US captured her fifth career victory on the third playoff hole at the $1.4 million HSBC Women's Champions Sunday. Stanford shot even par on the last playoff hole, beating South Korea's Jenny Shin into joint second with China's Shanshan Feng and Na Yeon Choi of South Korea. Feng was eliminated at the first playoff hole, Choi at the second at Tanah Merah Country Club. Top-ranked Yani Tseng began the third round at 1-under but a 5-under 67 Saturday and a 4-under 32 on the first nine holes Sunday put her in a brief tie for the lead with Shin. A disastrous double bogey on 10 and another bogey on 14 pushed her back down the leaderboard and she finished fifth, one shot behind the leaders after 72 holes.
