Jamison wins twice, advanced at World Match Play

KAVARNA, Bulgaria, May 17 (UPI) -- Scott Jamison won two matches Friday and advanced to the knockout stage of the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria.

The 24 players were divided into eight groups with the top two group finishers advancing to Saturday's matches. Jamison was the only player to win twice Friday, beating Carl Pettersson 1-up in the early session and then building a 4-hole lead in beating Thorbjorn Olesen 5-and-3.

Pettersson, who beat Olesen Thursday, also advanced from Pool McCormack.

Thomas Aiken lost a tough 1-up match against Thongchai Jaidee in the morning but won the final hole against Ian Poulter to claim one of the Pool Gabrielsso 's spots in the quarterfinal. The other went to Jaidee.

Defending champion Nicolas Colsaerts recorded a must-win 3-and-2 decision over Kiradech Aphibarnrat to keep his chances of repeating as champion going. Branden Grace halved his afternoon match against Aphibarnrat and gained the other knockout spot from Pool Woosnam.

No. 1 overall seed Graeme McDowell secured his place in the next round with a 4-and-2 win over Stephen Gallacher, who lost to Chris Wood 2-and-1 earlier Friday.

Other players advancing to the knockout round were Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Brett Rumford, Richard Sterne, Thomas Aiken, Francesco Molinari, Felipe Aguilar, Shane Lowry and Peter Hanson.

The schedule for the first knockout matches Saturday:

Grace vs. Rumford

Sterna vs. Wood

Molinari vs. Pettersson

Lowry vs. Aiken

Jamison vs. Aguilar

Jaidee vs. Hanson

Fernandez-Castano vs. Colsaerts

McDowell vs. Van Pelt