WASHINGTON, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- World No. 1 Rory McIlroy and 14-time major champion Tiger Woods have been ousted of the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship in the first round on Thursday.

McIlroy from Northern Ireland lost to Ireland's Shane Lowry, who is ranked 68th in the world and seeded last in the 64-man field, while Woods was defeated 2 and 1 by Charles Howell.

The elite event is held at the Ritz Carlton Golf Club course at Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona of the United States.