Sergio Garcia showcased his match play prowess to maintain his perfect start and take control of Group 16 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin.
Europe's all-time leading points scorer in The Ryder Cup made it two wins from two at Austin Country Club with a dominant 5&4 victory over American Andrew Putnam on Thursday afternoon.
Garcia, who won all three group matches in this event last year, led from the third hole and was the only player to not drop a hole on day two as he wrapped up another comprehensive victory, which left his fate is in his own hands ahead of Friday's final pool match against Patrick Reed, who halved his Group 16 match against Shane Lowry.
"I think I missed maybe one green in these conditions, which were quite tough," Garcia said. "I drove the ball very, very well. Hit my irons really well. Gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities. Put pressure on him every single hole.
"It's not home home but it definitely has a home kind of feeling. We have a lot of family here. We spent a little bit of time off golf here."
Branden Grace held his nerve to defeat World Number One Dustin Johnson in a 1up triumph and maintain his perfect Group One start.
The lead changed hands six times during their tense match-up before a brilliant birdie at the 17th from 39 feet gave the South African a 1up advantage heading down the last.
The American failed to drain his birdie putt to halve the match as the 40th seed sealed victory, with Hideki Matsuyama and Chez Reavie halving the other Group One match.
Li Haotong dumped out World Number Three Brooks Koepka following a hard fought 1up win to put him on the front foot in Group Three.
The Chinese player never fell behind in the contest and found himself 2up at the turn before the four-time European Tour winner hauled himself to all square at the 13th.
Koepka missed from eight foot to hand the initiative back to Li at the 15th, who then hit the pin with his second shot at the last to seal a composed victory to make it two wins from two. Sweden's Alex Noren picked up his first point with a 4&2 triumph over Tom Lewis in other Group Three contest.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat kept his knockout chances alive with a 2&1 success over Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner Bryson DeChambeau.
Aphibarnrat only fell behind at one hole throughout the match, at the third, before winning the next two to take the lead.
DeChambeau came back to all square on three separate occasions but a double bogey-bogey run from the 13th cost the American and the Thai player held on to collect his first point of the event. In the other Group Six match, Marc Leishman defeated Russell Knox 2up to maintain his 100 per cent record.
Rafa Cabrera Bello produced a stunning comeback to claw back a halve against Lee Westwood in their Group Nine encounter.
Westwood led by four holes after Cabrera Bello found water with his tee shot at the 11th before the Spaniard turned the match on its head.
Cabrera Bello won five of the next six holes to take the lead for the first time heading down the last, only for Westwood to pull off a remarkable approach to 13 feet from thick rough to card an unlikely birdie and halve the match.
Speaking after their roller coaster match, Westwood said: "It was nice to make that putt for the halve. I don't know, if you call it justice on the last. It's more luck than judgment on the greens for me.
"I think if I beat Tyrell tomorrow, and Rafa beats Xander it's a four-way playoff. That would have been daft, wouldn't it. We'll all have one and a half points. We could all in theory still go through."
A birdie at the last also earned a halve for fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton against Xander Schauffele in their topsy turvy Group Nine clash.
Tommy Fleetwood produced a fine comeback to maintain his unbeaten record in Group 11 after a halve with Kyle Stanley.
The Englishman found himself trailing by three after just four holes before an eagle at the par five sixth kick-started his round. Fleetwood found himself two ahead with three holes and set for a second pool win, but Stanley dialled in with his tee shot at the 17th and to concessional range with his approach at the last to snatch a halve.
Louis Oosthuizen never trailed as he recorded his first Group 11 point with a 1up triumph over Byeong Hun An.
There will be a four way shootout on Friday in Group 14 after Keith Mitchell defeated Ian Poulter in a 1up win, while Kevin Kisner won 2up against Tony Finau to leave all four players on one point.
Jon Rahm lost 2&1 to J.B. Holmes, while Matt Kuchar won 6&4 against Si Woo Kim in Group Eight.
