Friendly rivalry set to be put to the test in Spain

McDowell topped his group at Finca Cortesin when he followed up his win over Open champion Louis Oosthuizen with a last green victory against Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas.

His Ryder Cup partner McIlroy would have avoided him – at least for the time being – if he had defeated Nicolas Colsaerts and topped his section.

But by losing 3&2 to the Belgian the 22-year-old goes into a clash with McDowell, who last Sunday shot 79 to crash from first to 33rd in the Players Championship.

They are ranked fifth and sixth in the world, but McDowell, the higher of the two, said: “He beats the crap out of me every time we play together.

“But this is the Northern Ireland match play championship and I’m hoping it’s going to be different. It’s the Volvo World Match Play and the pressure is on. I am sure he will expect to beat me, but it will be a great game and I am excited about it.

“He is a fabulous player, so talented. This course is all about driving the ball and he is pretty good at that.

“It’s hard to play against a close friend, but you’ve got to leave your friendship on the sidelines.”

There is another all-Ryder Cup clash for a place in the quarter-finals – world No 1 Lee Westwood against Ian Poulter, who won the Tucson version of the World Match Play title last year.

Westwood was in dazzling form for the second day running, beating Australian Aaron Baddeley 4&3.

“I’ve carried on from where I left off in Indonesia and Korea,” said Westwood, who is now seeking his third successive victory.

“I will try to keep that going, but match play is different – you can play well and lose.”

Poulter halved with Scot Paul Lawrie just as he had with Italian Francesco Molinari, but progressed because Molinari then ended the hopes of 1999 Open champion Lawrie.

Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer, both of whom could take the No 1 spot off Westwood this weekend, had their second victories.

Donald, who beat the German in the final in Arizona three months ago, overcame defending champion Ross Fisher 3&1, but Fisher also went through after beating lone American Ryan Moore earlier in the day.

Donald next plays Swede Johan Edfors and Fisher is up against Masters champion Charl Schwartzel. Kaymer will hope to progress to Sunday’s latter stages after being drawn against Denmark’s Soren Kjeldson.