McDowell leads Fisher in Tucson

Graeme McDowell was two-up after four on Ryder Cup team-mate Ross Fisher as he tried to reach the last 16 of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship for the first time in Tucson today.

Conqueror of American Heath Slocum in the first round, McDowell bogeyed the first to fall behind, but took the second and fourth with birdies and in between Fisher double-bogeyed the short third.

The Englishman, who reached the semi-finals two years ago and the same season won the Volvo World Match Play in Spain, never trailed in his opening day victory over Australian Robert Allenby.

Behind them American Stewart Cink, having already knocked out title-holder Ian Poulter, was level with Korean YE Yang after three and Paul Casey, runner-up the last two years, shared the first two holes with Australian Jason Day.