A resurgent Colin Montgomerie came from one down with five holes to play to beat American Charles Howell III one up in the second round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship on Thursday.

The 44-year-old, who eliminated world number seven Jim Furyk in the opening round, birdied three of the last five holes to win a tight, fluctuating encounter at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club.

"I am delighted with the win," said Montgomerie after his win. "That was a good effort and I needed that.

"He's a very tough opponent and someone who hits the ball a lot longer than me. I was one down with five to go after he had birdied four holes in a row to go one up.

"After Charles had just birdied the 11th to go to all square, my caddie said to me: 'Right Mr. Montgomerie, it's Ryder Cup mode.' And I was four under from then on in. He should say that more often."

Montgomerie, the European number one a record eight times, was two up after seven holes before Howell piled on the pressure.

The 28-year-old American birdied the eighth to trim the Scot's lead before launching his four-birdie run at the par-five 10th.

One down on the 14th tee, Montgomerie struck a superb six-iron to four feet to level the match before rolling in a 26-footer to birdie the par-four 15th.

Howell missed a four-foot birdie putt on 15 to slip one behind and both players finished par-birdie-par for Montgomerie to seal victory.

American Boo Weekley came from two down after 10 holes to beat Spaniard Sergio Garcia 3&1 in another tight match.

Weekley birdied 16 and 17 to clinch the win and set up a third-round encounter with compatriot Woody Austin, who edged Australian Adam Scott on the 19th hole.

"The last couple of holes, I told my caddie 'we've got to go for it or we're done for'," Weekley said.

"We started playing decent and I got lucky on 16 when I knocked one in (from) off the green," he added, referring to a 35-footer. "It would probably have rolled off the green if it didn't hit the hole."

In other matches, American Stewart Cink beat British Open champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland two up and Paul Casey edged fellow Briton Bradley Dredge 2&1.

American Jonathan Byrd, conqueror of Ernie Els in the opening round, crushed Argentina's Andres Romero 6&4 and Rod Pampling hammered Nick O'Hern 5&4 in an all-Australian tie.

Twice champion Tiger Woods, among the late starters, was four up on fellow American Arron Oberholser after 11 holes.