An inspired Ernie Els achieved the first round of 60 in Cisco World Match Play history today to put Colin Montgomerie in deep, deep trouble at Wentworth.
The Open champion led Montgomerie by four at lunch after a dazzling round that saw him credited with two eagles and eight birdies.
It will not count as the joint lowest round in European tour history, however, because Els did not have to hole out on every green.
At the long fourth, for example, Montgomerie had already conceded before the South African could attempt his 15-foot eagle putt.
Nevertheless, for the purposes of the event it bettered the 61 achieved by Montgomerie against Padraig Harrington two years ago and by Harrington in last year's final against Ian Woosnam.
In the other quarter-finals Michael Campbell and Harrington led defending champion Woosnam and Sergio Garcia by two respectively, while Vijay Singh eagled the last to draw level with Retief Goosen.
Garcia was four down to Harrington after 16, but he finished birdie-eagle to boost his chances.
Harrington had drawn first blood against Garcia with a 16-foot birdie putt at the second. The Spaniard then bogeyed the next and at the long fourth missed from five feet after Harrington had holed from eight.
Garcia did birdie the 396-yard seventh, but the Dubliner followed him in from nine to stay three-up.
Harrington lost the eighth to a birdie and ninth to a par - he three-putted there - but holed an 18-footer at the 11th and was handed the next when Garcia took an untidy par five.