Colsaerts to meet McDowell in Match-Play quarters

KAVARNA, Bulgaria (AFP) –

Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium hits a tee shot on May 2, 2013 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Colsaerts beat Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano to progress to the quarter-finals of the Volvo World Match-Play Championship in Bulgaria on Saturday.

Defending champion Nicolas Colsaerts beat Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano to progress to the quarter-finals of the Volvo World Match-Play Championship in Bulgaria on Saturday.

However the big-hitting Belgian had let slip a 5up advantage with six holes to play before sealing his match at the last hole for a 1up victory.

“It was my fault as I should have ended our game an hour or an hour-and-a-half earlier when I had a putt on 13 to win the match,” said Colsaerts.

He now faces fellow Ryder Cup star Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland in Saturday afternoon’s quarter-final, which is also a repeat of last year’s final in Spain.

McDowell, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 8 in the world, won his third straight match in defeating American Bo Van Pelt, also 1up.

Elsewhere, Italy’s Francesco Molinari easily accounted for PGA Tour based Swede Carl Pettersson 6 & 4, while Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee continues to impress.

He defeated Peter Hanson of Sweden at the 21st extra hole after Hanson sent his second shot into a hazard.

Jaidee has now defeated Hanson, England’s Ian Poulter and South African Thomas Aiken to advance to the last eight, where he faces Scotland’s Scott Jamieson.

South African Branden Grace defeated Australia’s Brett Rumford 4 & 3, with Rumford’s departure ending any chance he had of becoming the first player since Seve Ballasteros in 1986 to win three straight European Tour titles.

“Branden just played too good right from the word go,” said Rumford.

“I started to play well in the middle of the round but just couldn’t hole any putts and put pressure back on Branden, so he’s seemingly had a nice leisurely walk this morning.”

Aiken defeated Ireland’s Shane Lowry at the first extra hole after Lowry put his second shot from a bunker into a water hazard.

Completed Round of 16 matches – Volvo World Match-Play Championship, Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort Club, Kavarna, Bulgaria.

Branden Grace (South Africa) defeated Brett Rumford (Australia) 4 & 3

Chris Wood (England) defeated Richard Sterne (South Africa) 5 & 3

Francesco Molinari (Italy) defeated Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 6 & 4

Thomas Aiken (South Africa) defeated Shane Lowry (Ireland) 19th hole

Scott Jamieson (Scotland) defeated Felipe Aguilar (Chile) 1 hole

Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) defeated Peter Hanson (Sweden) 21st hole

Nicolas Colsaerts (Belguim) defeated Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 2 holes

Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) defeated Bo Van Pelt (USA) 1 up