Quarter Final pairings set on busy Friday

Tiger Woods raced into the quarter-finals of the WGC-World Match Play Championship by brushing aside Swede Fredrik Jacobson 5 and 4 in the third round on Friday.

Woods, the world number one and defending champion, now meets Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who put out last year's beaten finalist David Toms one up at La Costa Resort & Spa.

Britain's Ian Poulter and Darren Clarke also reached the last eight.

Poulter defeated John Huston 2 and 1 to set up a clash with Australia's Stephen Leaney, who defeated Britain's Colin Montgomerie one up. Clarke downed Kenny Perry 3 and 2 and next faces Jerry Kelly, who edged Chad Campbell one up.

The fourth quarter-final will be an all-American showdown between Davis Love III and Phil Mickelson. Love swept past Australian Adam Scott 4 and 3 while Mickelson knocked out Chris DiMarco 3 and 2.

The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be held on Saturday after heavy rain washed out play on Thursday, forcing the competitors to play the second and third rounds on Friday.

Woods's first-round struggle in a one-up win over John Rollins was a distant memory as he powered past South African Trevor Immelman 5 and 4 before dismissing Jacobson by an identical margin.

Never behind in either contest, Woods was six-under-par for 28 holes as he took his record in the championship to 17-3 and his winning streak to nine matches.

"I played well all day," Woods told reporters. "I think what's important is I kept the pressure on my opponent all day.

"I got off to early leads but it's just about keeping the pressure on your guy, driving the ball in play, putting the ball up there close (to the cup), making them have to work for holes."

Harrington was pleased to progress beyond the second round here for the first time in four attempts.

"Relieved to get through in the end because I was struggling a little bit on the back nine," the Irishman said.

"The birdie that I made at the 16th was a big one and came at a vital time because I was starting to get a little fatigued and because of that the timing on my swing was a little bit disconnected."

Harrington knows he faces a difficult encounter with Woods.

"Going into any match with Tiger Woods is tough and you have to be at the top of your game and playing well," he said.

"It's 18 holes of match play and, as we've seen this week already, anything can happen in that."

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