Graeme McDowell held his nerve in a tense playoff against Sergio Garcia to squeeze into the semifinals of the World Match Play Championship yesterday.

In the tightest of the quarterfinals, McDowell made his par putt on the first extra hole from five feet but Garcia's fallibilities with the putter returned as his effort slid by the cup from even closer range.

McDowell will play another Spaniard in the semifinal after Rafael Cabrera-Bello rallied from 3 down to win 3 and 1 against compatriot Alvaro Quiros, who had earlier eliminated reigning champion Ian Poulter.

The other semifinal will see Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts take on Scotland's Paul Lawrie after both eased to victories in their last-eight matches.