STEPHEN Gallacher's losing streak in singles reached double figures with his defeat to Pablo Larrazabal at the Volvo World Match Play Championship.

The Ryder Cup player struck seven birdies at the London Club and was level going up the 18th.

But the Spaniard pitched in from 30 yards to snatch an unlikely win. That made it 10 consecutive singles defeats across six different match play competitions for the Scot, who lost to Phil Mickelson on his Ryder Cup debut at Gleneagles last month.

"I was five under today and have played two guys that haven't had any bogeys," said Gallacher, who lost to Ireland's Shane Lowry in his opening group match and cannot qualify for tomorrow's quarter-finals even if he beats Ryder Cup team-mate Victor Dubuisson today.

"It's not a jinx. He's won it with a birdie without having been on the fairway.

"I'm gutted to have lost like that, but that's match play golf for you."

Defending champion Graeme McDowell suffered only his third ever defeat at the event.

The former US Open champion found Mikko Ilonen in brilliant form as the Finn carded seven birdies in a 2&1 win.

Sweden's Henrik Stenson recovered from three down after four and was eight under for his last nine holes in beating Francesco Molinari 2&1, ensuring the Italian cannot reach the last eight.

Stenson tops the Palmer group with three points ahead of George Coetzee and Thongchai Jaidee on two, Coetzee having beaten 2013 runner-up Jaidee 2&1.

Stenson takes on Jaidee today with Coetzee up against Molinari.

All four players in the McCormack Group have two points after Jamie Donaldson beat Jonas Blixt 3&2 and Patrick Reed defeated Paul Casey 2&1, with Ryder Cup rivals Donaldson and Reed facing each other on today and Casey taking on Blixt.