McDowell continues wild run

Graeme McDowell figured his luck had run out Friday at the World Golf Championships-Match Play Championship.

After two remarkable rallies to even reach the third round, McDowell missed two 8-foot putts to fall 2 down with two holes to play against Hunter Mahan, who had lost only four times in 18 matches at the Golf Club of Dove Mountain.

“My head went down as I walked off the 16th green. I really thought I blew it,” McDowell said after yet another improbable comeback. “I genuinely thought I was done this time. I really didn’t think there was any way back from that.”

Even he couldn’t believe what followed.

McDowell won the next two holes to extend the match. He made a 20-foot par putt on the 20th hole to stay alive, and then won the next hole with a 15-foot birdie putt.

“Nine lives have been used up — and then some,” McDowell said.

Ernie Els is 5-over par in 57 holes over three matches and he reached the quarterfinals. Jim Furyk has been at least 2 down in every match and he advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in 14 appearances. Rickie Fowler won a match that featured an 18-foot par putt conceded to him by Sergio Garcia, who felt bad because of a ruling that had taken too much time on the previous hole. The Match Play Championship always has its share of wild tales. McDowell tops them all.

Other tournament

LPGA Thailand: Despite two late bogeys, Anna Nordqvist of Sweden shot even-par 72 to cling to the lead after a rainy second round in Chonburi. Nordqvist, chasing her first win on the U.S. LPGA Tour since 2009, bogeyed the 16th and 18th holes to settle on 6-under 138, one stroke in front of Paraguay’s Julieta Granada (68), Spain’s Azahara Munoz (68) and Germany’s Sandra Gal (70).