Teen phenoms make push to qualify for CA Championship

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Rory McIlroy has secured his spot in the Accenture Match Play and will likely qualify for the CA Championship, too.

DORAL, Fla. -- The World Golf Championships-CA Championship traditionally brings the best players from around the world together, and 2009 will be no different as 19-year-old Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa of Japan, two of golf's youngest rising stars, are making a push to join the field at Doral Resort & Spa, a Marriott Resort, on March 10-15.

McIlroy's ascent through the Official World Golf Ranking continued last week with his first professional victory at the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic. His one-stroke win over Justin Rose propelled him to No. 16 in the world, up more than 150 positions from where he was in August 2008. With the movement, McIlroy becomes the youngest player ever to crack the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking. One of the many highlights of McIlroy's amateur career was an opening-round 68 at the British Open in 2007.

McIlroy carried that success into his professional career when he made the cut in his first professional event on the European Tour last year. He continued by finishing third in his second professional event, becoming the youngest and quickest affiliate member to secure his European Tour card in just two tournaments. Since then, he twice finished second after playoff defeats at the Omega European Masters and then again at the start of the 2009 season at the UBS Hong Kong Open. His victory last week secured a spot for the talented teenager in the first World Golf Championships event of the year at the Accenture Match Play Championship, where he will be making his first start in the United States.

Since reaching No. 60 in the rankings, Ishikawa has seen his ranking fall to No. 66 after not playing for a stretch of several weeks. Ishikawa became the youngest winner on the Japan Tour in May 2007 when he won the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup, his first event on the Japan Tour, at 15 years 8 months.

Last year, he won the Mynavi ABC Championship and in the process has captured the attention of most of Japan. He will make his PGA TOUR debut as a sponsor's exemption at the Northern Trust Open at Riviera Country Club near Los Angeles later this month. With a top finish, Ishikawa could find himself inside the top 50 in the world and would then secure a position in the CA Championship.

"Rory McIlroy and Ryo Ishikawa have been able to achieve things in their amateur and early professional careers that match or even exceed some of the most notable names in golf," said Executive Director Eddie Carbone. "The World Golf Championships were started so that the best players in the world would have more tournaments to play against each other on a global stage. With players like Rory and Ryo in line to join the field, it appears the CA Championship will again do just that."

To purchase tickets for the CA Championship, visit wgcca.com or call 866-4WGC-TIX.