VOLVO WORLD MATCHPLAY:GRAEME McDOWELL is well used to being "beaten up" by Rory McIlroy in practice, but now they are going to meet for real for the very first time in the last 16 of the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain this morning.

McDowell topped his group at Finca Cortesin yesterday 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 32 to the Belgian the 22-year-old, who blew the Masters with an 80 last month, goes instantly into a clash with McDowell, who on 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 isn’t the Northern Ireland matchplay championship and I’m hoping it’s going to be different. It’s the Volvo World Matchplay 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.

“I stopped playing him because he’s too good. I’m more of an observer and he just tends to beat me up.”

Today’s Tee-times (Irish-time)

6.45am

S-yul Noh (Kor) v A Quiros (Spa)

6.55am

M Kaymer (Ger) v S Kjeldsen (Den)

7.05am

R Fisher (Brit) v C Schwartzel (SA)

7.15am

L Donald (Brit) v J Edfors (Swe)

7.25am

J Vegas (Ven) v N Colsaerts (Bel)

7.35am

G McDowell (NIre) v R McIlroy (NIre)

7.45am

A Baddeley (Aus) v F Molinari (Ita)

7.55am

L Westwood (Brit) v Ian Poulter (Brit)