World Match Play: Paul Lawrie & Graeme McDowell reach semi-final

Paul Lawrie

Paul Lawrie and Graeme McDowell are into the semi-finals of the World Match Play in Spain after defeating Retief Goosen and Sergio Garcia respectively.

Lawrie was in fine form as he beat Goosen 6&5 without dropping a shot, while McDowell won in sudden death.

"The wind really picked up and [being] under par, you are going to be tough to beat," said Lawrie.

The Scot now meets Nicolas Colsaerts in the last-four, and Northern Ireland's McDowell faces Rafael Cabrera-Bello.

Lawrie's good form at Finca Cortesin is also timely, as he bids for a place in Europe's Ryder Cup team for the first time since 1999 - the same year he won the Open at Carnoustie.

He currently stands fifth in the points race and has a chance to move into second spot this weekend, not least because he beat the incumbent Peter Hanson of Sweden during the group stage.

"I'm not thinking about that [the Ryder Cup], even if I win this week," said Lawrie, who has decided not to compete at next month's US Open.

The 43-year-old, who benefited from South African Goosen's sloppy start, added: "If things go well then obviously it's a step closer, but that's all it is.

"There's a lot of tournaments to be played."

McDowell was made to work harder than Lawrie for his victory, and he missed a five-foot putt for victory on the final green.

That sent the match into sudden death, where home favourite Garcia three-putted the first extra hole, the 18th, to send McDowell through to Sunday's semi-final.

"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."

His opponent in the last four, Cabrera-Bello, won six of the last eight holes to recover from a three-down deficit at the turn to win 3&1 against fellow Spaniard Alvaro Quiros.

In the other quarter-final, Belgian Colsaerts beat American Brandt Snedeker 4&3 to reach the last four for the second year in a row.

Quarter-final results (seeded positions in brackets)

(11) Paul Lawrie (Sco) beat (18) Retief Goosen (SA) 6&5

(7) Brandt Snedeker (US) lost to (14) Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel) 4&3

(5) Sergio Garcia (Spa) lost to (4) Graeme McDowell (NI) sudden death after first extra hole

(12) Alvaro Quiros (Spa) lost to (16) Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Spa) 3&1