Teenage sensation Rory McIlroy can only wonder what it would have been like to face his hero, Tiger Woods, in the Accenture Match Play Championship at Marana, Ariz.

He didn't get that chance yesterday, which might be one reason he had such an easy time advancing to the quarterfinals.

McIlroy kept alive his hopes of becoming the youngest winner in American professional golf history with a 4-and-3 victory over Tim Clark, who didn't look anything like the player who put an end to Woods' return to golf.

"Tim didn't play his best golf today — understandably," said McIlroy, a 19-year-old from Northern Ireland. "He was probably a little flat after all that happened yesterday. And I came out and got off to quite a fast start."

It was the third straight time that the player who knocked Woods out of this tournament lost in the next round.

Clark had played 32 holes without a bogey in winning his first two matches, including his celebrated 4-and-2 victory over Woods in the second round. He bogeyed the first hole against McIlroy and never caught up.

"It's a big deal coming out today, but it's tough to feel the same, and it's tough to maybe get focused," Clark said. "You go around with him and it's tough to come out the next day and get into the battle again."

Phil Mickelson also wasted another opportunity with Woods out of the picture, making a double bogey on the 18th hole in losing to Stewart Cink.

AUTO RACING

BUSCH LEADS IN VEGAS

It was brotherly love, briefly, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch became the first brothers since 2000 to sweep the front row in qualifying for a NASCAR race, but Kyle Busch's blown motor will prevent the Las Vegas drivers from starting next to each other at their home track.

Kyle Busch blew a motor in his Toyota during yesterday's practice session, changed the engine, then ran a pole-winning lap of 185.995 mph to knock his big brother off the pole. Kurt Busch ran a lap at 185.707 mph.

But under NASCAR rules, Kyle Busch will have to drop to the back of the field at the start of tomorrow's Sprint Cup-Shelby 427 race. Third-place qualifier Jimmie Johnson will slide onto the front row next to Kurt Busch during the warm-up laps.

IN THE COURTS

FRESNO STATE SUED BY ANOTHER FEMALE COACH

A former Olympic shot putter is the latest female coach to sue Fresno State University.

Ramona Pagel, who holds the American record in the shot put, is suing for gender discrimination and Title IX retaliation.

Pagel's suit filed last week in Fresno Superior Court alleges she was denied a chance to interview for the track head coaching job, then wasn't offered an interview to keep her assistant coaching position.

The school has paid out more than $16 million in discrimination disputes since 2007 to five current and former female employees of the athletic department.

School officials declined to comment on the pending litigation.

TENNIS

TOP-SEED DJOKOVIC REACHES DUBAI FINALS

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic advanced to the finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, yesterday, rallying to beat third-seeded Gilles Simon of France, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.

The third-ranked Serb reached his first final of the season and will play David Ferrer of Spain, who beat Richard Gasquet of France 6-2, 6-2 in the other semifinal.

"I feel a bit lucky, but I think you have to work for luck," Djokovic said. "It doesn't just fall through the sky.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

American Brittany Lang shot a 3-under 69 yesterday for a 7-under 137 total and a one-stroke lead over compatriots Morgan Pressel (68) and Paula Creamer (70) after the second round of the $1.45 million LPGA Thailand at Pattaya. ... Kevin Na fired a 8-under 62 to shoot into a tied with Mark Wilson (64) at 10-under 130 after two rounds of the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Playa del Carmen, Mexico. ... Top-seeded Venus Williams beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, 6-0, 6-3, and defending champion Flavia Pennetta ousted Iveta Benesova, 6-3, 6-3, to advance to the final of the Mexican Open at Acapulco. ... Top-seeded Mardy Fish edged Florent Serra, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4), last night to advance to the semifinals of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships at Deray Beach, Fla.