Hideto Tanihara advanced into the semi-finals of the WGC - Dell Technologies Match Play after dispensing Ross Fisher at Austin Country Club.
The Japanese player is making his debut in the event held in Texas but he showed no signs of stage fright after he produced a 4 and 2 win over the Englishman.
The victory for Tanihara sealed a spot at the Masters Tournament, which begins in less than two weeks, to complement his consistent match play form this week.
Tanihara topped a difficult round robin group that consisted of Jordan Spieth, Ryan Moore and Yuta Ikeda earlier in the week and came away with a 2 and 1 victory against 2009 and 2010 finalist Paul Casey in the first knockout round to set up an all-European Tour clash.
Fisher also secured a place at the Masters Tournament earlier in the day when he defeated two-time Augusta winner Bubba Watson in the last 16 but he struggled to maintain that fine form until it was too late in the match.
Tanihara will face World Number One Dustin Johnson in the last four after he overcame Alex Noren with a 3 and 2 victory but not without a mini revival from the Swede.
A par at the first was enough for Fisher to take an early lead but he relinquished that advantage at the next with a double-bogey before Tanihara dialled in an approach to seven feet at the third to record his first birdie for the lead.
Fisher sank a 12-foot putt for birdie to restore parity at the fifth before a birdie-par-par-birdie run handed Tanihara the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth holes to storm into a commanding four up lead.
The duo putted gains on the tenth and shared the next two with pars before Tanihara's second shot approach at the 13th landed six feet from the pin to earn another birdie to go dormie five.
I wasn't really expecting to be in the last four, but I'm really happy and really looking forward to it - Hideto Tanihara
Fisher sank a 15-foot putt from the fringe for birdie at the 14th and stuck a wonderful approach to three feet at the 15th to extend the match before Tanihara sealed victory at the 16th after the World Number 53 conceded following a long approach shot.
“It's a one-on-one match up. There's a lot more strategy in thinking in playing this kind of format. I really enjoy it,” Tanihara said.
“I wasn't really expecting to be in the last four, but I'm really happy and really looking forward to it.
“My goal was to get to the Masters and probably maybe top eight would get me in. Wasn't sure. Now the top four got me here. I'm really excited and happy.”
Johnson birdied the first hole for the fifth time in five visits this week to take the initiative in his encounter with Noren before the 34 year old bogeyed the second hole to trail further behind.
A 28-foot putt for birdie at the third put the American three up before Noren hit back with an eagle at the sixth to cut the gap but Johnson restored the three up advantage at the ninth with his fourth gain of the round.
However, the turn inspired Noren, and he turned the match on its head with a run of par-par-birdie at the 10th, 11th and 12th to bring the scores back to all square before Johnson regained the lead with a birdie at the 13th.
The American doubled his lead with a gain at the 15th before sinking his seventh birdie of the contest at the next to seal his semi-final berth.
"It's a long way to go," he said. "I've still got to make it to the finals first.
It's a lot of golf tomorrow and anything can happen but I like my chances. I feel like I'm playing really well. We'll just have to wait and see."
