Anirban Lahiri Loses to Justin Rose by a Whisker at WGC Matchplay

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri came within a whisker of pulling off a second upset in as many day before World No. 6 and Masters runner-up Justin Rose produced two great shots to first even the match on the 18th and then birdied the first play-off hole to keep his hopes alive at the WGC Matchplay event here on Friday.

World No. 35 Lahiri, who beat World No. 23 Ryan Palmer in the first match of the round-robin stage, led for almost the entire regulation period, except a couple of times when Rose pulled up to all-square at TPC Harding Park.

The only time Rose pulled ahead was on the 19th when he closed with a birdie as Lahiri parred on the play-off hole.

"It was a disappointing finish after a tight match," said Lahiri. "I am still in it with one win and one loss. I just need a good day tomorrow (in the third round-robin stage match against Marc Leishman)."

Lahiri did not do anything seriously wrong on the back nine, it was just that Rose produced a couple of great shots at crucial times towards the very end.

"There is still the third match and there could a three-way play-off, let's see," said Lahiri.

Rose, who had to sweat it out and won it by the thinnest of margins, was all praise for Lahiri.

He said, "I put enough pressure on him in the end, but Anirban is a great putter. The first hole I looked like I had it won comfortably, he holed a 30-footer. And then he holed another 40-footer or so. It was going to be a tough match, I knew, from that moment."

Rose added, "Anirban played solid golf today. He's dangerous with a putter. And I sort of found that out early in the round. He knocks in a 30-footer for a half. And then knocks in another 35-footer elsewhere in the round (third hole). I knew he was never out of any hole. So it kept me on my toes."

On his game on the second day, Rose said, "Actually I was happy with the way I hit the ball. I did all the right things coming down the stretch. A good iron shot into 17. Two good shots into 18. I had to hit the fairways on those par 5s, and I did that. So when I needed it I think I shot enough. Hopefully I can take it into tomorrow."

On his own chances in the tournament -- where he needs to win the last match and hope Lahiri beats Leishman to force a three-man play-off -- Rose said, "Yeah, I just have to play hard and hope for the best. If you do lose a game, you need a bit of good fortune to get through. I think the best I can do is a three-man playoff."

Leishman, who beat Rose in the first match scored a second win beating Palmer 4&3. So, Leishman has two wins, Lahiri and Rose have one each and Palmer is out with no wins.

In the third match, Lahiri needs to beat Leishman and if Rose beats Palmer, there will be a three-way play-off to see who gets into the pre-quarter finals. If Lahiri wins and Rose loses to Palmer, then Leishman and Lahiri will get into a play-off.

Lahiri never trailed in his match against Rose until losing to the Englishman's birdie on the first extra hole. Lahiri sank a monster 28-footer to halve the first hole, after Rose had put his second shot on the Par-5 first to 31 feet from where he two-putted for a birdie.

Lahiri came up with another huge birdie putt on the third from 30 feet and that put him one-up. He stayed one-up till he came up with a great pitch from just under 100 yards to eight feet of the pin and holed it. That put him 2-up.

Lahiri bogeyed the next to give back a hole and Rose did the same on seventh as the Indian stayed 2-up. On the eighth, Rose hit a great approach to 10 feet for a birdie that reduced the margin to one hole advantage for Lahiri.

On the back nine, the duo parred 11th, 12th and 13th and then both bogeyed from 12 feet (Lahiri) and 16 feet (Rose).

The tense battled continued as Rose pulled alevel with a birdie on the par-4 15th. However, Lahiri followed up a nice drive with a nice pitch to five feet which he holed for a birdie to go 1-up again with two holes left to play.

Both parred the 17th and just when an upset seemed to be on cards, Rose conjured up two great approach shots.

On the Par-5 18th, Rose, 225 yards from the green for his second shot, hit it to 35 feet and two-putted for a birdie.

Lahiri left his second shot short and from 60-yards his pitch came to rest 13 feet from the pin. Lahiri missed the putt that would have given him a birdie a second straight win. Rose trying to get to the green in two went into the greenside bunker on the left, while Lahiri after being 60 feet from the pin, did not get his chip right and left himself 30 feet from the pin.

Rose, on the other hand, had a great third shot and came within three feet, which he virtually tapped for a birdie. Lahiri, under pressure to hole the 30-footer, missed and lost the match.

Lahiri, who had three birdies in first five holes, had four birdies and two bogeys, and so did Rose, who then birdied the extra hole for his fifth birdie.

Under the new format, the four players in each of the 16 groups play three matches and the Group topper moves into the last 16 at which point the tournament becomes a knock-out.

Meanwhile, the other Asian star in the field, Thongchai Jaidee produced a superb 3 & 1 victory over world number five Jim Furyk to keep alive his hopes of progressing into the round of 16.

After an opening day loss to Martin Kaymer, Thai veteran Thongchai, a three-time Asian Tour number one, needed a win against Furyk and he duly delivered with an impressive performance which saw him go five-up on the American at the turn.

Rory McIlroy knows he will have to be at his best on Friday to see off American Billy Horschel after moving to within one win of the last 16 at the WGC - Cadillac Match Play with a two up win over Brandt Snedeker.

Having seen off Jason Dufner on day one, McIlroy led against Brandt Snedeker from the moment he holed a 35 foot birdie putt form off the green at the first.

McIlroy set-up a showdown with Horschel, whose 3 and 2 win over Dufner was also his second victory in as many days. The other mouth-watering tie of day three at TPC Harding Park will see Lee Westwood take on Masters Champion Jordan Spieth for a place in the last 16, with both players having won their first two group matches.

Only Rickie Fowler and John Senden have secured their places in the last 16 with a match to spare with many of Friday's final group matches throwing up the possibilities of sudden-death play-off to decide who moves into the final stages of the tournament.