London: Europe's order of merit leader Lee Westwood gave himself a chance of making the World Matchplay Championship semi-finals by overcoming fellow Briton Ross Fisher.
Westwood's chance is a slim one following his crushing six-hole defeat on Thursday to Jeev Milkha Singh. The 2000 winner of the event needs an overwhelming win himself in his afternoon encounter with Colombian Camilo Villegas.
"First and foremost I've got to win but I do need to win well," Westwood told reporters after his two hole success against Fisher. "If Ross and Jeev only half then I'm through.”
"I shouldn't be relying on other results, though. I put myself behind the eight-ball by losing so heavily yesterday. I can't remember the last time I didn't make one birdie in a round."
Westwood set up his victory with a run of three birdies and an eagle from the second after his opponent had birdied the first, but lessened his margin of victory by losing the 18th.
In the group, Westwood, Villegas, who beat Singh by three holes, Singh and Fisher are all on two points after a win apiece.
The other group due to play two matches on Friday is equally wide-open. With U.S. Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina losing by two holes to Swedish world number seven Henrik Stenson and Europe's Race to Dubai contender Rory McIlroy defeating fellow-Briton Simon Dyson by a similar score, all four players have a win and two points each.
Afternoon matches between McIlory and Stenson, a repeat of their recent Seve Trophy match which McIlroy won, and Cabrera and Dyson, will decide which player goes through to the semi-finals.
McIlroy and Dyson's match got off to a hurried start, with the pair having to make a dash from the practice putting green to make their tee-off on time. They did by just 20 seconds, otherwise they would have both forfeited the first hole, which could subsequently mean the difference between making the semi-finals or not.
"We were putting away when we thought we'd better make a move," McIlory, whose buggy blew a tyre on his way to the tee on Thursday to cause him to hurry to the first tee, told reporters. "I thought we still had a couple of minutes to spare."
McIlroy birdied the final two holes for a late success.
Both the other round-robin groups of four play just one afternoon match to decide the standings, with American Anthony Kim and Briton Oliver Wilson favourites to go through.
Bureau Report