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Gym session spurs Jason Day to quarters

Getty

Getty

Jason Day says a gym session after his epic 22-hole second round victory at the WGC-Match Play was the catalyst to a better third round performance, catapulting him into the quarter-finals.

Rather than head home for a nap after his second round fight-back win over Billy Horschel, Day hit the gym and claimed it energised him for his 3 and 1 triumph over South African George Coetzee in Arizona on Friday.

Day never trailed against Coetzee and played sublime golf, effectively six-under the card through 17 holes, on the way to victory and a quarter-final date with Louis Oosthuizen.

He is now halfway to a potential massive break-through tournament scalp and the $US1.5million ($A1.7m) winner’s prize.

“I went to the gym for about 30-40 minutes, put a little strain into it, and then this morning I woke up and I felt great. My warm up was great, my swing felt good and I just came out more energised,” Day told AAP.

“You’d think I’d be tired but I just woke up with my mind right and said, I’m going to be the fittest today and get this done.

“I think I will head back there again now and do the same, without overdoing it, to keep this rolling.”

Day is now the highest ranked player left in the tournament giving the world No.11 a golden opportunity to claim a second US PGA win and first WGC title.

But 2010 British Open champion and President’s Cup teammate Oosthuizen, ranked 35th in the world now, has been ultra impressive thus far.

The South African took down American Nick Watney 1-up before ousting the tournaments top seed and world No.3 Henrik Stenson.

He then backed it up with a powerhouse 5 and 4 third round win over Webb Simpson.

“Louis and I are pretty good mates and I am definitely looking forward to the match,” Day said.

“It’s obvious he’s playing great so it will be tough. I just have to go out and once again find a way to win.

“If I have a broken arm or a broken leg I won’t give up, I will try to find a way to keep winning.”

Day finished third at the event last year after losing to eventual champion Matt Kuchar in the semi finals.

American Rickie Fowler meets countryman Jim Furyk, young gun Jordan Spieth faces veteran South African Ernie Els and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell continued his extra hole miracles to set up a match against surprise packet Frenchman Victor Dubuisson in the other quarter-finals.

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