Rory McIlroy lasted only two rounds in his first tournament of the year, but his return to action this week could be even shorter.
The world No 1 has chosen the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson for his second appearance.
Shane Lowry, a team-mate of McIlroy when Ireland won the European amateur title six years ago and stablemate now, is his opponent in Wednesday’s opening round at Dove Mountain.
Sixty-seven places separate them on the world rankings but McIlroy, runner-up to Hunter Mahan last year, needs to be on his guard on a day that also sees a clash between the two other Irish golfers in the field Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington.
