Paul Casey and Luke Donald looked like taking further steps on the comeback trail at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona.
Last year's runner-up Casey, still recovering from the torn rib muscle he suffered last summer, marched into a five up lead after only seven holes of his second round clash with Canadian left-hander Mike Weir.
Donald, returning to form following wrist surgery in 2008, was four up on Australian Robert Allenby.
Things were much closer in the all-European duel between 20 year old fourth seed Rory McIlroy and England's Oliver Wilson. They turned all square.
McIlroy, who reached the last eight on his debut 12 months ago, had recovered from four down to beat American Kevin Na on the opening day and he was behind again when Wilson chipped to four feet at the long second.
The Mansfield golfer, still searching for his first professional victory despite being part of Europe's last Ryder Cup side, bogeyed the sixth and seventh to fall behind and was in danger of losing the long eighth as well.
However, McIlroy went over the green from a greenside bunker and ran up a bogey six to fall back on level terms.
The former Masters Tournament champion knew there was a danger of him not repeating anything like that form, though, and he could not match Casey's birdies at the first, second and fourth.
Donald had a runners-up finish on the US PGA tour only two weeks ago and after overcoming McIlroy's fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell he was quickly in control against Allenby.
The Australian did not help his cause, however, by taking bogeys at the third and fifth.
No fewer than six Englishmen had reached the last 32. Ian Poulter was all square with Adam Scott after five, while bottom seed Ross McGowan - conqueror of top seed Steve Stricker - and Lee Westwood were late starters against Japan's Ryo Ishikawa and American Nick Watney respectively.
Westwood was the highest surviving seed following Stricker's exit.
Casey lost the ninth to a birdie, but Weir still had it all to do at four down, while Donald went five up with another birdie at the long 11th.
McIlroy was just over the back in two there, but failed to get up and down and Wilson, on in two, seized the chance to take the lead again.
Poulter fell behind when he bogeyed the seventh and a surprise was on the card when Dane Anders Hansen took two of the first three holes off Sergio Garcia in the other all-European match.
