• WGC-Accenture Match Play

Westy is the match I wanted - McIlroy

Rory McIlroy has his eye on the No. 1 ranking © Getty Images

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Rory McIlroy says he is heading into the semi-final showdown with Lee Westwood at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in confident mood.

The stakes are high for the duo, who have the opportunity to oust Luke Donald from the world No. 1 ranking with victory in Arizona. McIlroy is yet to reach the top spot in his fledgling career, and is relishing the thought of taking on his nearest-ranking rival.

''I think with both of us being up there in the world, and both of us with the possibility of going to No. 1, it gives the match definitely an extra little bit of spice,'' McIlroy said. ''I think it's the match that most people wanted, and definitely the match that I wanted."

The pair have shared a tense relationship since Westwood suggested McIlroy had "a pull hook in his bag under pressure", before the Ulsterman departed the management company he shared with his English counterpart. Westwood, though, insists there remains no animosity between them as he continues to target his first major title.

''There's nothing strained about the relationship between the two of us. It's still the same as it was,'' Westwood said. ''Rory said to me before I went out [for Saturday's round], 'See you tomorrow morning.' And then today again there, he said, 'See, told you.' That's the trouble with kids nowadays. They think they're always right, don't they?

''My priorities were to win major championships and win World Golf Championships because I haven't ever won any. I've been at No. 1 couple of times. It would be a different way of thinking to me compared to Rory, who hasn't been No. 1. He may be thinking about it, but my main goal is to play well - or play as well as I've been playing - tomorrow morning and try and win that match.''

The enticing semi-final clash will be the first time since 2004 that two of the top four seeds have met, when Tiger Woods and Davis Love III advanced to the decider with victories over Stephen Leaney and Darren Clarke respectively.

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