Ross Fisher was on the front foot in his encounter with Bubba Watson at the WGC - Dell Technologies Match Play following a strong start at Austin Country Club.
A victory for Fisher will secure his place at the Masters Tournament which begins in just under two weeks and he was doing his best to combat the two-time Augusta winner by leading the American one up through nine.
Elsewhere, Alex Noren was one hole up on Brooks Koepka after eight holes while fellow European Tour Member Hideto Tanihara was all square against Paul Casey. Dustin Johnson led two up against Zach Johnson in their all-American clash.
Watson began the match with a birdie on the first to go one up following a 329-yard drive but Fisher responded with a gain of his own at the next after sinking a 14-foot putt.
The Englishman took the lead for the first time at the third after a bogey from the American but he restored parity with his second birdie of the round at the fifth.
A Fisher bogey at the seventh handed the initiative to Watson but back-to-back blemishes from the World Number 17 at the eighth and ninth nudged the 36 year old back in front in their see-saw battle.
Noren was winning the battle of the perfect records as he led one up over Koepka through eight holes.
The American bogeyed the first to hand Noren the lead before another Koepka blemish extended the advantage to two up after five holes. He replied with his first birdie to reduce the gap at the fifth, which went back to all square at the sixth following a Noren double-bogey.
The Swede regained a one up lead at the seventh after Koepka hit his third bogey of the round before the duo parred the eighth.
Tanihara began his last 16 clash in pole position against the 2009 and 2010 finalist but Casey pulled it back to all square after ten holes.
The Japanese player is making his debut at the event held in Texas but he started the match in positive fashion with a nice approach to four feet to earn a birdie at the first to go one up but quickly gave that up with a bogey at the next.
A Casey bogey at the fifth re-established Tanihara's lead and the World Number 60 went two up when the Englishman found the sand on the par three seventh.
Tanihara bogeyed the eighth and tenth to return to all square and relinquish his solid start against the World Number 16.
World Number One Dustin Johnson won the opening hole for the fourth day in a row with a birdie to gain the an early led against Zach Johnson and doubled his advantage at the third when his opponent found the water.
Zach Johnson cut the deficit at the next with a birdie two at the par three fourth before Dustin Johnson re-established a two hole lead with a birdie at the sixth as both players parred the seventh.
