By The Associated Press

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson made short work of a long day at the Match Play Championship, both needing only 28 holes to win two matches and reach the quarterfinals.

Woods, who narrowly survived the first round, never trailed in both matches and never even made it to the 15th tee except for post-match interviews.

He jumped out to a big lead against Trevor Immelman in the second round, then steadied himself amid the wild adventures of Fredrik Jacobson, winning both matches, 5 and 4.

Woods set a tournament record by winning his ninth straight match. Next up is Padraig Harrington, who outlasted David Toms in 18 holes.

“For someone to make it through three matches, they’re probably playing pretty good,” Woods said.

Equally impressive is Mickelson, whose length and accuracy has proven to be a tough combination.

Mickelson never lost a hole in beating British Open champion Ben Curtis, 7 and 6, to tie the tournament record for largest margin of victory. Then, he overcame a hot start by Chris DiMarco to win, 3 and 2.

Mickelson reached the quarterfinals for the first time in the Accenture Match Play Championship, getting there with only two bogeys through his first three matches, and 10 birdies in 28 holes Friday.

“Because I’ve kept it in play, the course seems to be so much easier,” Mickelson said. “You’d think after 33 years I’d figure that out.”

Mickelson (45) and Woods (46) have played fewer holes in three matches than anyone, although they’re only halfway home to the finals and a shot at the $1.2 million prize.

Davis Love III might have had the easiest time.

After beating good friend Fred Couples in the morning, Love had about two hours before his third-round match against Adam Scott, a 23-hole winner over Robert Allenby.

In the most intense match of the day, Allenby holed two clutch par putts to stay in the match, then two long birdie putts only to see Scott halve the holes. Scott finally won when his fellow Aussie missed a 2-foot par putt.

Scott had only enough time to eat before going back out, and Love never gave him much hope. Love was 2 under on the front nine to take a 4-up lead, then held on for a 4-and-3 victory.

And the other five survivors looked good, too.

Jerry Kelly, who finds match play to be the closest thing golf comes to his beloved hockey, plowed through Vijay Singh in the second round, then built a 4-up lead and hung on against Chad Campbell, winning on the 18th hole.

Ian Poulter of England played only 30 holes Friday, taking advantage of sloppy play by Duffy Waldorf (7 and 5) and John Huston (2 and 1).

Darren Clarke, who beat Woods in the finals four years ago, hammered Alex Cejka of Germany in the morning and finished off Kenny Perry in the afternoon with a 50-foot birdie putt in the afternoon.

Stephen Leaney of Australia never trailed against Masters champion Mike Weir, holing out a bunker shot when it appeared the Canadian might get back into the match. In the third round, he ended Colin Montgomerie’s longest stay in San Diego with a par on the final hole to win, 1-up.

Heath Slocum leads Tucson second round

TUCSON, Ariz. – Heath Slocum’s diligence in practice paid off. Slocum shot an 8-under 64 Friday – his second consecutive bogey-free round – to take a two-shot lead in the rain-curtailed second round of the Chrysler Classic of Tucson.

“It’s definitely a goal of mine, and more than once,” he said about the chance of winning in his third full PGA season. “That’s why I hit all the balls; that’s why I do all the work.”

Michael Clark carded a second-round 65 and Geoff Ogilvy shot 66, leaving them two shots behind of Slocum’s 13-under 131 among players who completed 36 holes. Seventy-two late starters failed to complete the round when play was suspended in late afternoon.

The only one within two strokes of Slocum was Carlos Franco, one of a quartet who began the day two shots behind first-round leader Frank Lickliter. Franco was at 11 under with five holes to finish Saturday morning. Per-Ulrik Johansson, who missed sharing the first-round lead when he double-bogeyed the final hole, was three shots back.

Slocum after a 69. Tim Clark (68) and Vaughn Taylor (68) joined him at 134.

Steve Elkington and Ted Purdy shot 66s to remain four shots off the pace, with Lickliter and Todd Fischer at 136.

Lickliter, the defending champion, shot 63 on Thursday, a brilliant, calm day, but lost his touch in overcast, drizzly weather Friday.

has been hitting the ball better with each round.

“I hope Phil is worried,” Love said with a smile. “I doubt it.”

The other quarterfinal matches are Clarke against Kelly, and Poulter against Leaney.

None of them are gimmes.

“It doesn’t stop here,” Love said. “One good player after another. I’ll just have to keep playing better every match to move, which I’ve done so for.”

Woods compared it with a Grand Slam tennis tournament – the eight players remaining didn’t get here by accident.

“Guys who get into the second week understand they’re going to have tougher matches,” he said. “Because you don’t get through the first week by playing terribly.”

AP-ES-02-27-04 2028EST