Accenture Match Play Championship 2006

Phil Mickelson eagled the 11th hole on his way to a 2&1 victory over big-hitting John Daly in the most popular second-round match at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship on Thursday.

Twice winner Tiger Woods, despite erratic driving over the opening holes, fought back to edge Australia's Robert Allenby by a hole and holder David Toms ousted Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal 2&1.

In the day's biggest upset, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman shaded Australia's Adam Scott one up, while world number two Vijay Singh recovered from two opening bogeys to knock out Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez 2&1.

In near-perfect conditions at a sun-baked La Costa Resort and Spa, Mickelson reached the 11th green in two and holed a 22-foot putt to go one up after he and Daly had been level at the turn.

The left-hander then birdied 13 and 14 to forge three ahead and, despite bogeying the par-four 15th, sealed victory after both players parred 16 and 17.

"That was a big putt for me on 11," U.S. PGA champion Mickelson told reporters. "John had just birdied nine and pulled the match to even, and he chipped up there to about a foot.

"And I gave him his birdie, knowing that I needed to make mine to get back ahead. That was a big turning point for me."

World number one Woods, who carded three bogeys in the first five holes against Allenby, coolly rolled in a seven-footer for birdie at the last to seal victory.

Allenby, who birdied the par-three 16th to level, failed to reach the green in two on 18 and had to settle for a regulation par.

Woods, who crushed Canada's Stephen Ames by a record winning margin of 9&8 the previous day, was two down after six against the Australian before he turned his game around.

"Yesterday, I just tried to make sure I did everything I did on Tuesday and Wednesday, and I did," Woods said.

"And today I tried to do everything like I did on Wednesday, and I eventually got there.

"It's something I couldn't do last year. Now I can figure it out, piece it together and understand what the fix is going to be."

Chris DiMarco, boosted by four consecutive birdies, beat fellow American Arron Oberholser 6&5 to win the first match of the day.

DiMarco, who knocked out Mark Calcavecchia 2&1 on the opening day, delivered a sparkling performance with his driving, approach play and putting.

The Ryder Cup player picked up six shots on the day and never trailed after Oberholser bogeyed the opening hole.

Toms ended a tight match with Olazabal soon afterwards.

Olazabal had led by two after holing birdie putts from 10 and 15 feet at the second and third but Toms drew level by the turn with birdies on eight and nine.

American Toms, who produced superb golf all week last year before crushing DiMarco 6&5 in the final, tightened his grip on the match with further birdies on 14 and 15.

Another followed at the par-three 16th where he rolled in a 17-footer to match Olazabal's birdie and the match was decided when both players parred the 17th.

"I had to play really well at the end," Toms said. "He's a grinder and has a great short game.

"He wasn't going to give me anything, so I knocked a couple stiff and made a nice putt on 16."

American Davis Love III edged Swede Carl Pettersson one up, Canada's Mike Weir outlasted Bernhard Langer over 20 holes and Britain's David Howell beat American Scott Verplank 3&2.

Japan's Shingo Katayama overcame eight-times European number one Colin Montgomerie 3&2 and world number three Retief Goosen saw off American Ben Crane 2&1.