European Ryder Cup stars Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari got their WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play campaigns off to the perfect start with victories in their opening group games.
Englishman Fleetwood and Italian Molinari became the first European pair to win all four of their matches together as Europe regained the Ryder Cup trophy at Le Golf National last year.
Open Championship winner Molinari also won his Singles match to deliver the winning point in France, and he was in scintillating form once again in Austin on Wednesday morning as he beat Japan's Satoshi Kodaira 5&4 in their Group 7 encounter.
The 36-year-old raced into a three hole lead after opening up with birdies at the first, second and third holes but his advantage was reduced to two holes on two occasions as the pair traded blows on the front nine.
Molinari won the ninth, tenth and 11th holes to increase his lead to five and, after he had conceded the 13th, he won the 14th to join fellow European Thorbjørn Olesen at the top of the pool after he beat Webb Simpson 2&1 thanks to a late resurgence.
"I played really well," said Molinari. "I made some nice putts at the beginning and throughout the match. I'm really happy with the way I played.
"Obviously, it's a little bit easier when you start that way but you still have to play a lot of golf and close the match out. There were a couple of moments where I could have maybe done better, but all in all a very good day."
A back-nine rally saw Fleetwood, the other half of Europe's popular 'Moliwood' partnership, recover from an early two hole deficit to beat Byeong Hun An 3&2 in the first match of the morning.
The Southport native has now tasted victory in seven of his last eight match play contests, dating back to last year's event. American Kyle Stanley was a 3&2 winner over Louis Oosthuizen in Group 11's other clash.
After his match, Fleetwood said: "I'm just happy to get through it really. The thing is when you play in this tournament, there is no easy match at all.
"There is no let up throughout the week. But I'm happy to have got the win. I can go and do some practice and be happy with today and move on."
Match play specialist Ian Poulter claimed each of the last two holes as he won 2up in a topsy turvy match against Kevin Kisner to banish the memory of last year's 8&6 quarter-final loss to the American, while Tony Finau beat Keith Mitchell 2&1 in the other Group 14 game.
Poulter said: "It was a fun match. Up, down, up, all square with a couple to go, it was interesting."
Fellow European Paul Casey holed his birdie putt from ten feet on the 15th green to close out a 5&3 victory over Abraham Ancer in Group 10, before Charles Howell III won 2&1 against Cameron Smith.
Casey, who comes into the tournament full of confidence following last week's victory at the Valspar Championship, said: "It's one of the best rounds I've ever played around here.
"You just try to manage the energy after last week. That was pretty tiring, but good tiring."
World Number Two Justin Rose led for most of the match as he opened Group 2 with a 2&1 win against Argentina's Emiliano Grillo. Gary Woodland recorded a hard-fought 2&1 victory over Eddie Pepperell in the last of the day's early matches.
China's Li Haotong led after every hole as he cruised to a 5&4 victory against Alex Noren in their Group 3 curtain raiser and Tom Lewis won the 18th hole to halve his match against multiple Major Champion Brooks Koepka.
Omega Dubai Desert Classic winner Bryson DeChambeau beat Russell Knox 3&1 in Group 6, with Marc Leishman winning 2up against Kiradech Aphibarnrat in the other match.
Defending champion Bubba Watson lost by one hole to Kevin Na, while Group 15's other match between Jordan Spieth and Billy Horschel finished all square.
