Marana (United States) (AFP) - Top seeds Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson were all ousted in Thursday's second round of the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship while second seed Jason Day needed 22 holes to advance.
Rose was the last lead man in his quarter of the bracket to fall, being taken out in 20 holes by four-time major winner Ernie Els.South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open champion, defeated Sweden's Stenson 4 and 3 while American Harris English dispatched McIlroy in 19 holes.
That put the South African into a third-round matchup with 2013 PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner, who eliminated Italy's Matteo Manassero 2 and 1.
Stenson's defeat continues a trend in which the overall top seed at the $9 million event has not gone beyond the second round since 2008.
Oosthuizen never trailed, going 2-up after an 18-foot eagle at the second. He took the 12th when Stenson missed a 16-foot par putt and then sank a 20-foot birdie at 15 for the triumph.
"I played pretty solid," Oosthuizen said. "I just kept it together. Just played solid and made nice putts on the back nine."
Oosthuizen will next face American Webb Simpson, who ousted countryman Brandt Snedeker 4 and 3, and could meet Australian standout Day in the quarter-finals.
Day, a second seed from Australia, took four extra holes to eliminate American Billy Horschel. Day, third at the event last year, next meets South African George Coetzee, who beat American Patrick Reed in 21 holes.
"It was a tough one," Day said. "Doesn't matter how you get it done, find a way to win."
McIlroy took a bogey at 10 and two penalty strokes in the Arizona desert on 11 to fall 2-down, but battled back with three birdies to go 1-up after 16, only to have English sink a 19-foot birdie at 17. McIlroy fell by making a double bogey on the first extra hole.
English next faces Jim Furyk with that winner to meet eitherSergio Garcia or American Rickie Fowler.
Garcia, another second seed, outlasted American Bill Haas 3 and 1 and Fowler edged US compatriot Jimmy Walker 1 up, beating the only winner of three US PGA Tour events this season.
Haas sank a six-foot eagle putt at the second hole to seize the lead and a par at the seventh put him 2-up, but Garcia eagled to win the eighth and squared the match with a par at 11, then birdied three of the next six holes to win.
"He played really well early on, then I was able to go on a very nice run from the eighth hole," Garcia said.
Fowler and Walker each won three of the first six holes in a match that was never more than 1-up in either's favor. Both players missed birdie putts at the 18th but Walker could not make par from 14 feet while Fowler two-putted for par from 51 feet, sinking a six footer to win.
"Finally got the putter to roll a couple in," said Fowler.
- McDowell 'really quite lucky' -
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell edged Japan's Hideki Matsuyama 1 up.
"I'm really quite lucky to be standing here right now," McDowell said.
McDowell, the 2010 US Open champion, booked a third-round date with American Hunter Mahan, the 2012 Match Play winner and 2013 runner-up who ousted South African Richard Sterne 2 and 1.
Also through to the last 16 at the 64-player event is Victor Dubuisson, who dispatched Swedish 15th seed Peter Hanson 3 and 1.
"I started the first few holes and I made some good birdies," the Frenchman said. "Then he made three birdies and we were all square. Then I decided just don't watch him play, just play my stroke play and try to make some birdies."
Next up for Dubuisson is American Bubba Watson, last week's PGA winner at Riviera, who beat Swede Jonas Blixt 2 up.
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