Carlsbad, Calif. ? Tiger Woods went from a breeze to a wheeze in the Match Play Championship, not taking the lead until the 10th hole and having to make a 7-foot birdie on the 18th to get past Robert Allenby on Thursday.

“I’m advancing,” Woods said. “That’s a good thing.”

Ultimately, that’s all that mattered in a second round filled with dramatic shots, stirring comebacks and some familiar faces who are pressing on toward the $1.3 million prize that awaits the winner.

Vijay Singh overcame a slow start to beat Miguel Angel Jimenez, and while it’s hard to call that a surprise because Singh is the No. 2 seed, it was the first time in seven tries that he advanced to the third round. Third-seeded Retief Goosen also won, but not before Ben Crane made a hole-in-one on the 16th hole to make him sweat.

Phil Mickelson missed several 5-foot putts, but he holed a 25-foot eagle putt on the 11th that sent him on his way to a victory over John Daly, a match that might have carried more buzz had it not been played in the morning.

The best rally came from Padraig Harrington, who birdied the last three holes to send his match into overtime, then beat Angel Cabrera with a par on the first extra hole.

Woods opened with six straight birdies and smoked Stephen Ames in the first round, a victory so resounding that the match lasted the minimum 10 holes. Against Allenby, it took him that long simply to get his first lead.