Lee Westwood, oozing confidence, reached the last eight for the first time at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship while Germany's Martin Kaymer became the biggest casualty in Friday's third round. World No. 3 Westwood never trailed on his way to a 3&2 victory over American Nick Watney but Kaymer, beaten by Luke Donald in last year's final, was ousted 4&3 by American Matt Kuchar at Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. Hunter Mahan completed another upset when he stunned US Ryder Cup teammate and world No. 5 Steve Stricker 4&3 after a sizzling display in the Sonoran desert and Northern Irish world No. 2 Rory McIlroy beat Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez 3&1. Kuchar became the first player to reach the quarterfinals, coming from one down after three holes with a rock-solid performance as Kaymer perpetually struggled on the tricky, heavily contoured greens at Dove Mountain. World No. 14 Kuchar struck his tee shot to within two feet of the cup at the par-three sixth for a conceded birdie to go one up before his lead was doubled when Kaymer three-putted from six feet to bogey the par-five eighth. The consistent American then birdied the 10th and 11th to go four up before sealing the win with a matching par on the 15th green. In-form Mahan piled up nine birdies in dazzling sunshine, the last of them conceded by Stricker from just two feet at the driveable par-four 15th to end their third-round encounter. McIlroy is bidding to become the youngest ever winner of the Match Play Championship, Tiger Woods having set the record with his 2003 triumph aged 27. American Mark Wilson reached the last eight for the first time with a 4&3 victory over big-hitting compatriot Dustin Johnson and Martin Laird beat 1999 British Open champion Paul Lawrie 3&1 in all-Scottish encounter. In other matches, Swede Peter Hanson advanced with a 5&3 win over American Brandt Snedeker, while South Korea's Bae Sang-moon won a tight tussle with Australian John Senden one up. Tseng on top in S'pore World No. 1 Yani Tseng clawed her way back into contention Saturday at the third round of the HSBC Women's Champions tournament in Singapore. Tseng, who started the day seven shots adrift of the leaderboard, posted the best third-round score of five-under 67 to leave her three shots behind the co-leaders — American duo Angela Stanford and Katie Futcher, and South Korea's Jenny Shin. Tseng had her right elbow partially covered with a plaster to help with tendonitis that has been afflicting her in recent weeks but said she would remain aggressive for the final 18 holes.
