Portugal cruised into the knockout stages of the GolfSixes with another dominant win in the second round of matches at the Centurion Club.
Ricardo Gouveia and José-Filipe Lima had made five birdies in a 4-0 win over Wales in the first round of matches and made three more in another 4-0 victory over Australia to guarantee progression from Group C as the European Tour broke new ground in St Albans.
There were 16 teams of two battling it out over six holes in a greensomes format, with entrance music, pyrotechnics and a bumper crowd making for an exciting spectacle.
The teams were split into groups of four and were battling it out in a round robin format on Saturday, with the top two from each group progressing to the knockout stages on Sunday.
The United States and Wales drew the other match in Group C 1-1, meaning all was to play for in the battle to join Portugal in the quarter-finals.
Scotland moved into the last eight as they maintained their 100 per cent record in Group B with a 3-2 win over Spain, while Belgium were knocked out after losing 2-1 to Thailand.
In Group A, the Netherlands moved into top spot with a 2-1 win over India while home favourites England drew 0-0 with Denmark to leave the pool wide open.
Group D was also wide open with France at the top following a 2-2 draw with Italy but all four teams can still qualify after Sweden beat South Africa 2-1.
A bogey on the first from Sam Brazel and Scott Hend moved Portugal 1-0 up and a birdie on the next extended their lead before both teams birdied the third. Another Australian birdie on the fourth made it 3-0 and Portugal then birdied the last.
When I miss my drives he's there all the time and we're combining really well. We've been taking our chances and I'm thrilled - Ricardo Gouveia
"We're playing really well," said Gouveia. "When I miss my drives he's there all the time and we're combining really well. We've been taking our chances and I'm thrilled."
Paul Peterson and David Lipsky birdied the first for the United States to hand them a 1-0 lead but when Peterson fell victim to the shot clock on the fourth, they were level with Bradley Dredge and Jamie Donaldson, with the clock being reduced from 40 to 30 seconds for the rest of the tournament.
"I thought my caddie might mention it at ten seconds," joked Peterson. "It was behind me so there's no way of me looking up, When the guys said 'you went over your time', I was like 'you must be kidding me'."
Marc Warren and Richie Ramsay birdied the first for Scotland and while Pablo Larrazábal and Jorge Campillo made it 1-1 on the second, an eagle on the third and birdie on the fourth extended the lead before Spain grabbed a consolation on the last.
"It's been great," said Ramsay. "A little bit tricky, we got the wind, but we got off to a really nice start. Spain are a really good pair and so you know you're going to have to play well to win. I had to make shots into the greens, Marc finished them off."
Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat were in pole position to join the Scots in the last eight as they made a birdie-birdie start to go 2-0 up against Nicolas Colsaerts and Thomas Detry, with the Belgians reducing the deficit on the third.
The Dutch also made a birdie on the first and when SSP Chawrasia and S Chikkarangappa bogeyed the second, Joost Luiten and Reinier Saxton were 2-0 up. The Netherlands then bogeyed the last but it only served as a consolation.
Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood saw their birdies on the third and last matched by Thorbjørn Olesen and Lucas Bjerregaard in their scoreless draw.
Grégory Bourdy and Alexander Levy moved 2-0 up against Matteo Manassero and Renato Paratore with birdies on the first and third but the Italians hit back with a gain on the fourth and an eagle on the last.
Brandon Stone nearly aced the first for South Africa but the hole was halved in birdies before Johan Carlsson and Joakim Lagergren birdied the third and won the fifth in par. Stone then holed a long eagle putt on the sixth to secure what could be a vital hole for him and Darren Fichardt on the sixth in a tight group.
