For the second day running Graeme McDowell left it late to progress at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, setting up a last-16 clash with Hunter Mahan, the player he famously beat in the decisive match of The 2010 Ryder Cup.
The Volvo World Match Play Champion had been four down in the opening round to Gary Woodland and still trailed by three with three to play before winning four holes on the bounce to set up a second round showdown with Hideki Matsuyama.
The former US Open Champion again looked to be heading for the airport when he went three down after six holes against his Japanese opponent.
The Northern Irishman birdied the seventh and eighth to get within one, only to then lose the 14th to be two down with four holes to play.
A long birdie putt at the 15th kept the Ryder Cup star’s hopes alive, and he took the 17th after a stunning approach before a ten foot putt on the final green sealed a one up win.
Afterwards McDowell joked: “Why do it the easy way when the hard way will do?
“I just got off to a slow start again, probably less so today. I was quite proud of myself when I got a half on three, so I was only two down after three, as opposed to three down.
“I tried to go out there today and execute my game plan and try not to give him any room, try not to make any mistakes, try not to give him anything - and he kind of played the same kind of golf back. He played very, very well.
“I made big putts on 15 and 16. The 16th especially was a massive putt to give me the opportunity.
“I feel very fortunate again today. I've certainly expended all my energy and emotions the last couple of days, but thankfully it's early in the season and I've plenty left in the tank.”
Asked about facing Mahan for a quarter-final spot, McDowell added: “There's a decent chance he might be out for a shade of revenge tomorrow, who knows. It's been a long time and there's a lot of water under the bridge since 2010.
“He's a quality player, he's got a great record around this golf course, and he's going to be a tough nut to crack.
“I certainly feel I've had a pretty good workout the last couple of days, and I should be in good shape going into tomorrow.”
The news was not so good for McDowell’s friend and compatriot Rory McIlroy, who was beaten on the 19th hole by American Harris English.
World Number Seven McIlroy appeared to have victory in his second-round match at Dove Mountain within his grasp as he hit form on the back nine, winning four out of five holes to lead by one after 16.
But English, an impressive winner over another former World Number One in Lee Westwood in round one, replied to take the contest to sudden death.
It was at the first extra hole that McIlroy's touch deserted him as he failed to recover from a poor tee shot.
He went wide to the left and could then only pitch into desert rough between a bush and a tree. From there he overshot the green and there was no way back.
It was a disappointing end to a high-quality contest in which few other holes had been settled by mistakes.
In-form South African George Coetzee needed a stunning tee shot at the third extra hole to finally get past Patrick Reed, and his reward is a third-round tie against Australian World Cup winner Jason Day.
The other Friday match in the Bobby Jones bracket will see Coetzee’s compatriot Louis Oosthuizen face Webb Simpson after the former Open Champion overcame European Number One Henrik Stenson.
The Swede’s departure means the top seed has now failed to reach the third round for five successive years.
Sergio Garcia came from behind to beat Bill Haas 3 and 1 - the Spaniard losing the second and seventh as he fell two holes behind only to win three of the next five to turn the contest on its head.
The Ryder Cup star lost the 13th but again bounced back with a birdie at the 14th and par at the 16th leaving him two up with two to play.
Garcia birdied the 17th to secure a match up with Rickie Fowler in the last 16, the American overcoming the US PGA Tour’s form player Jimmy Walker one up.
“It was good fun,” said Garcia. “We both played hard. We both tried to play as well as we could to beat our opponent and I was fortunate to be just a little bit better than him today.”
In one of the day’s closest matches, Ernie Els had to birdie both extra holes to see off Justin Rose.
Els looked to be in control when he raced two up through four holes, but by the time Rose got up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the 16th the US Open Champion was one up despite not having carded a birdie.
Els took the 17th with a par after Rose missed the green, but his approach to the last rolled off the false front of the green after his opponent had leaked right into another sand trap, and both did well to save par and force extra holes.
Both players hit fine approaches to within eight feet at the first and made the putts, but at the long second Rose needed two goes at getting out of a greenside bunker leaving the South African with three feet for victory and a Friday contest against Jason Dufner.
France’s Victor Dubuisson continued to impress on his World Golf Championships debut as he overcame Peter Hanson 3 and 1 to progress to face former Masters Tournament winner Bubba Watson, who saw off Jonas Blixt at the 17th when the Swede lost his ball under a bush.
That meant six European Tour Members progressed to the last 16, but having been kept apart in the draw, they could all reach Saturday’s quarter-finals.
