George Coetzee in trouble during the second round of the Accenture Match-Play Championship. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)

“I had to bring my ‘A’ game to beat him,” said English.

“Rory really fought back hard, birdying 14 through 16. I knew I needed to make something happen on 17 and 18.”

McIlroy’s fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell had better fortune as he produced a stirring comeback for a second day in succession to beat Hideki Matsuyama on the 18th.

McDowell was four down after seven holes of his first round against Gary Woodland and a similar scenario unfolded as Matsuyama won three of their first six.

Yet McDowell had not been playing badly and he was certainly out of luck as Matsuyama chipped in from the rough at the second.

The 2010 US Open winner maintained a steady course and birdies at the eighth and ninth set up a tight back nine.

Matsuyama eventually cracked when he missed a short putt at the 17th to allow McDowell back level and the Japanese player compounded that error by putting his tee shot at the last into a bunker.

McDowell, who is the reigning Volvo Match-Play champion, parred the hole to complete another fine fightback.

McDowell, who now faces Hunter Mahan in a repeat of the decisive match at the 2010 Ryder Cup, admitted he was drained after two high-intensity victories.

“After the round yesterday I was pretty beat and I expect to hit the wall in about half an hour,” said McDowell.

Jim Furyk (USA) during the second round at the WGC Accenture Matchplay Championship, Ritz-Carlton GC, Dove Mountain,Tucson, Arizona,USA.
Picture: Fran Caffrey www.golffile.ie

“That adrenaline surge in the last few holes is a bit like a Sunday afternoon.

“I was hoping to not expend as much emotion but that didn’t happen.

“It was another emotional day, but I guess I am just happy to still be standing.”

The event’s top seed Henrik Stenson was another big name player to be knocked out after being humbled 4&3 by former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.

Defending champion Matt Kuchar came from one down with six to play to beat fellow American Ryan Moore 1 up.

Reigning Qatar Masters winner Sergio Garcia overcame Bill Haas 3&1 after winning four out of six holes in a strong sequence on the back nine.

The Spaniard will next play Rickie Fowler, who won a high-quality match with this season’s form player Jimmy Walker one up.

French Ryder Cup hopeful Victor Dubuisson saw an early three-hole lead wiped out, but recovered his poise to beat Peter Hanson 3&1.

Last week’s Northern Trust Open winner Bubba Watson was 3 up after four holes and then survived a late round wobble before seeing off Sweden’s talented Jonas Blixt 2 up.

Blixt threatened to make life difficult by winning the 12th and 14th, but short missed putts at the 15th and 16th and a penalty drop on the last ended his hopes.

American youngster Jordan Spieth produced one of the day’s most impressive performances, beating Thomas Bjorn 5&4.

Justin Rose also saw his bid end at an extra hole. The reigning US Open champion was beaten by veteran Ernie Els on the 20th after another tight contest.

Rose’s undoing came as he failed to get his third shot to the par-five hole out of a bunker while Els chipped superbly from just wide of the same sand to set up a birdie.

There had been little between the two players throughout.

Els eagled the third and birdied the fourth to take an early two-hole lead, but Rose won two of the next three to level and went ahead when the South African bogeyed the 12th.

They were all square at the 18th tee after Rose bogeyed the 17th.

Both players hit poor second shots as Rose found a bunker and Els saw his approach roll back off the green.

Yet there were no nerves on display as both got up and down and then impressively birdied the 19th before the match concluded at the next.