Paul Casey's hopes of a third successive final at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship were hanging by a thread midway through his second round clash with Australian Jason Day in Tucson.
Casey, having squeezed through at the first extra hole in another Ashes duel with Richard Green on the opening day, turned three down to his 23 year old opponent.
Denied the title two years ago by Geoff Ogilvy - yet another Aussie, of course - and then by fellow Englishman Ian Poulter last February, the sixth seed paid the price for bogeying the fourth and seventh.
He had not managed to birdie any of the par fives against Green and his failure to do so again on the eighth cost him another hole.
Rory McIlroy was also in trouble - the 21 year old four down after only six to American Ben Crane.
Bogeying the first instantly handed the initiative to Crane and after conceding the short third he lost the fourth and sixth to birdies.
The round also included two clashes between members of Europe's Ryder Cup Team last October.
Celtic Manor match-winner Graeme McDowell was two up with six to go on Ross Fisher - a semi-finalist two years ago - while Luke Donald led Edoardo Molinari by one after eight.
