Cabrera blocking McGinley's path again
Back on the same Wentworth course, McGinley crushed Ryder Cup team-mate Luke Donald nine and eight in yesterday's quarter-finals.
But next the 38-year-old Dubliner has to face second seed Angel Cabrera, the big-hitting Argentinian who pushed him into second place at the BMW Championship four months ago.
The other semi-final sees top seed Retief Goosen against New Zealand's US Open champion Michael Campbell, Goosen equalling his own tournament record with a 12 and 11 demolition of Mark Hensby and Campbell coming from five down to beat Steve Elkington on the first extra hole.
McGinley has so far revelled in the role of underdog in the battle for the biggest cheque in golf.
Ranked 36th in the world against Donald's 14th - it made them the 11th and third seeds respectively - the Irishman, who toppled sixth seed Thomas Bjorn on day one, quickly raced into a four-hole lead and made that six by lunch.
In the blustery conditions a six-under-par 66 represented superb play and Donald was the one who continued to make mistakes when they resumed.
He bogeyed the 21st to fall seven down, McGinley had the bonus of a 45-footer for birdie two holes later and Donald's further bogeys at the 25th and 26th left him resigned to a defeat.
"Luke is a world-class player as everybody knows and he had a lot of support as a local boy," said McGinley. "But I was able to keep them quiet - just as we did in Detroit last year." The pair were partners in the opening fourballs of Europe's record-breaking win.
"I don't take anything for granted in this game. I said to my dad that I'd hit him so many times he was on the ropes, but he wasn't down.
"Hopefully I'll have the support now [as the only European left in] and all the Paddies will come out from London.
"I've got a chance of winning a huge tournament here."
Donald, who had a chance this week to climb into the world's top 10 for the first time, said: "Paul got off to a great start and it was always going to be an uphill struggle from then.
Hensby's words came back to haunt him as he made the worst-ever start in the 42-year history of the event.
After beating Colin Montgomerie, the Australian said of facing Goosen: "If I play well I'll give him a match. If not I won't have a chance."
When he missed a six-foot putt on the 16th green Hensby was a nightmare seven over par - and 10 down.
Only two closing birdies prevented him registering the worst-ever round, but matching the worst-ever defeat could not be avoided as Goosen won three more holes in a row after the break.
Elkington trailed Campbell by two early on, converted that into a five-hole lead after 17, then was hauled back to level with four to play.
The Brighton-based New Zealander then had a 15-footer to win the 33rd, but three-putted it.
However, Elkington three-putted the next and made a sloppy bogey six down the 35th.
After a half in birdies at the last - Elkington almost drove into the ditch and with an inward 41 matched the tournament's worst-ever back nine - Elkington almost fittingly bogeyed again to go out.
Cabrera got the better of Jose Maria Olazabal four and three.
The South American led from the time he birdied the third and was four-up with 10 to play, but Olazabal won the next two before pulling his approach to the 31st into the trees and conceding the hole before his opponent was even on the green.
Cabrera then made an eight-footer on the next to be four up with four to go and completed the job with a half on the next.
(1) Retief Goosen (Rsa) bt (9) Mark Hensby (Aus) 12/11.(12) Steve Elkington (Aus) lost to (4) Michael Campbell (Nzl) at 37th hole.(3) Luke Donald (Eng) lost to (11) Paul McGinley (Ire) 9/8.(10) Jose Maria Olazabal (Spa) lost to (2) Angel Cabrera (Arg) 4/3.
0830 and 1315 Retief Goosen Rsa) v Michael Campbell (Nzl)0845 and 1330 Paul McGinley (Irl) v Angel Cabrera (Arg).
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