Padraig Harrington bowed out of the Accenture Match Play Championship this evening, losing for the second year in succession to America's Stewart Cink.

The Dubliner started the second round contest brightly, going two up within five holes. But Cink rallied to claim four of the next six holes, establishing a lead that Harrington was unable to overcome. Harrington did close the gap to just one hole going down the last, but a closing birdie gave Cink a richly deserved 2 up win.

Elsewhere, Colin Montgomerie, so many times Europe's Ryder Cup hero, produced a sizzling back nine to hold off Charles Howell.

Howell took the lead with four successive birdies from the 10th hole, but Montgomerie dug deep to birdie three of the next four holes and score a hard-fought one-up victory at Dove Mountain.

The 59th seed, who only barely qualified for this World Golf Championships event, was understandably excited to advance to the last 16.

"That's a good effort," said Montgomerie, who joked that he would give himself a pat on the back if only he was a little younger and more flexible.

"Charles birdied the 11th to go all square and my caddie said, 'right, Mr Montgomerie, it's Ryder Cup mode'. I was four under from then on, so he should say that more often in stroke-play events.

"We're in the last 16 and delighted. I look forward to playing again tomorrow."

Paul Casey recovered from a slow start to mow down Welshman Bradley Dredge two and one while Sergio Garcia was no match for Boo Weekley, the American winning decisively three and one.

"We both struggled a little here and there," Weekley said. "The last couple of holes, I just told my caddie we've got to either go for it or we're done."

He went for it and Garcia was subsequently done.

Australian Aaron Baddeley advanced to the last 16 without even hitting a shot after his American opponent, David Toms, withdrew with a back injury.