Par in was good enough for Angel Cabrera to beat K J Choi 1 up, giving a battle of big hitting as Cabrera would now play Ernie Els with their match starting at 9.45.

Harrington vs. Riley was all square with four to play at their resumption. Two bogies by Riley ended the first chance of a US player making it through as Harrington went on to win 2&1.

Harrington would now play Thomas Levet who again was a beneficiary of two bogies from Mike Weir, Masters Champion of two years ago.

Retief Goosen waited for the winner of the match between Todd Hamilton and Lee Westwood, a second chance for a US representative in the second round although Hamilton was 3 down with six to play against one of the European Ryder Cup stars. A 33 ft putt on the 15th was enough for Westwood to go through 4&3, leaving Hamilton a couple of days rest before he starts on the next leg of a round the world tour of events courtesy of his Open Championship win.

There was one last chance for an American to go further in trying to win the World Matchplay title, something last done by a US player when Mark O’Meara won in 1998. With 10 holes to play, Steve Flesch made a good start by winning the 10th with a par but he returned that lead with his own bogey at the next and then found himself on the receiving end of three Jimenez birdies in the closing stretch, losing 3&2.

It would be a long wait for Jimenez as despite three birdies in a row from Vijay Singh in playing the back nine in 33, Bernhard Langer was in sparkling for with a two at he 14th. The 2004 Ryder Cup Captain might have rued three putts from 45ft to lose the 17th in normal play, as that was the first hole of ‘extra time’ but on his return to one of the toughest par fives in the UK, Langer made the green in two and from 24ft, two putts was good enough to send the World No 1 back home to Florida.