Marc Leishman admitted it was 'ugly' but the Victorian managed to join John Senden in the round of 16 at the World Golf Championships Match Play Championship as both Australians went 3-0 in pool play at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
Matt Jones failed in his bid to join them, losing to Charl Schwartzel in 20 holes to bow out while defending champion Jason Day and former world No.1 Adam Scott suffered the ignominy of being waxed 0-3 in their groups.
While only two of the worlds top 10 golfers survived to the last 16 in the new pool play format, world No.60 Leishman and No.65 Senden will fly the Australian flag as the lowest seeds remaining.
Senden was already guaranteed a place in Saturday's elimination round before he beat Brendon Todd 1-up on Friday, but Leishman needed to win his match against India's Anirban Lahiri to progress.
The Victorian battled a loose driver and an early deficit and shook off some late bad luck to beat Lahiri 1-up and set up a date with big-hitting American Gary Woodland in the final 16.
"It was pretty ugly. I didn't hit the driver well at all which has been a strength the first two days," Leishman said.
"I better go hit a few balls this afternoon and try and sort this long stuff out."
But now he has a golden opportunity to beef up his world ranking if he can get past Woodland, and move to the final eight in the afternoon, where he would meet the winner of Senden's match with American Hunter Mahan.
With US Open qualification cut-offs on the horizon it will be a critical day.
"I just have to play better than I did today," Leishman said.
"Anyone can win on any given day. Just got to play good and hopefully they don't play better.
"If my short game can be as good as what it was today, hopefully I can get through. It's one match at a time, one hole at a time really. Hopefully I can make it a long weekend."
Senden is under no illusions of the tough prospect he faces against world No.32 Mahan who won his group in blistering fashion.
The winner of the event in 2012 and runner-up in 2013 has now made the final 16 for five years running and he notched up 7&6, 5&3 and 5&4 wins this time out.
"I am looking forward to tomorrow. I need to bring out my A-game instead of my B-plus game," Senden said.
"I think that we've begun to realise the deeper you get into the tournament, the better players you play. You've got to play great to advance and I'm going to give it my best shot."
While already in the US Open Senden is trying to get on the radar of Presidents Cup captain Nick Price.
Elsewhere, world No.1 Rory McIlroy birdied the last three holes of regulation to overturn a two-hole deficit to FedEx Cup champion Billy Horschel and then survived when par was enough on the 20th hole to advance.
American world No.2 Jordan Spieth was upset by England's Lee Westwood to bow out.
Day closed with a 3&2 loss to Zach Johnson while Chris Kirk beat Scott 1-up.
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