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By Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

MARANA, Ariz. -- To say Stephen Ames hasn't exactly had a lot of success in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship would be an understatement.

Until this year, the Canadian who hails from Trinidad and Tobago had never advanced past the first round. Ames took another big step on Thursday, when he upset Vijay Singh with a birdie on the 19th hole to advance to the "sweet 16."

Stephen Ames is enjoying success for the first time at the Accenture Match Play Championship. (Reuters/WireImage)

STEPHEN AMES' MATCHES

IN THE ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY

Year Rd. Result 2007 2 def. Vijay Singh, 19 holes 2007 1 def. Robert Karlsson, 8&7 2006 1 lost to Tiger woods, 9&8 2005 1 lost to Mark Hensby, 7&6

• Complete Brackets

Not to mention prior to Thursday, Ames had never reached the 13th hole in any match -- with Mark Hensby beating him 7 and 6 in 2005 and Tiger Woods applying the infamous 9-and-8 shellacking last year.

Ironically, when Ames finally won that elusive first-round match Wednesday, he finished off Robert Karlsson with a birdie on the 11th hole for the 8-and-7 rout. The irony of the situation was not lost on Ames, who is blessed with a self-deprecating wit.

"I'm usually gone by Wednesday night," Ames said, raising his eyebrows and flashing that big, toothy grin of his. "Hell, when I passed the 12th hole, I had to take a breather. I've never played so many holes."

On Thursday, though, Ames never trailed as he played the No. 7 player in the world, who was second-seeded in the Gary Player bracket.

Ames set the tone early when he won the third hole with a par and the seventh with a birdie. Singh birdied No. 9 to cut into Ames' advantage but the reigning PLAYERS champion regained his 2-up advantage with a birdie at No. 12. The Fijian finally extended the match with a two-putt birdie on No. 17 and an 8-footer on the 18th.

The first playoff hole was No. 1, a 588-yard par 5, and both men had birdie chances. Singh missed his from 6 feet, though, and Ames seized the opening, making his own from 36 inches to advance into the round of 16 where he plays Stewart Cink.

"I played well today," Ames said. "I played very well. I think I was 4 or 5 under after 10 again. ... It was a nice match. It was fun.

When the two weren't trying to one-up each other at the middle point of the match, Ames said, they talked about the World Cup of Cricket. Ames said there wasn't any needling going on since "today was his birthday. We couldn't do that."

Ames, who is battling a cold, doesn't plan to get ahead of himself this week. He's taking nothing for granted -- particularly after his previous two Accenture Match Play Championships -- and he plans to relax and see what happens.

"(I want to) enjoy it more," he said. "It's nice to be this far, taking it as it comes. You learn from all your experiences every day you go through life. This is another one so we'll see how it goes."

Ames told his caddy, Dean Elliott, that he had nothing to lose as they were playing the 17th hole on Thursday. Asked when the pressure might begin to mount, Ames said "maybe Sunday.

"I don't know. I've got nothing to lose there (either). It's nice to be in that position. Top 64 in the world, and you've got one guy to beat. Big world points, all those kinds of things. Yeah, of course, big time.

"And the way that one guy is playing, it will probably be him again. Mr. Woods, by the looks of it."

Ames, of course, had a date with the game's No. 1 player last year and made he headlines when he told Associated Press golf writer Doug Ferguson, "anything can happen the way he's hitting the ball."

Woods responded with the most lopsided victory in Accenture Match Play Championship history. Ames was more circumspect in his remarks on Thursday.

"He should be there," the Canadian said, talking about the 36-hole finale on Sunday. "He's the No. 1 player in the world, 5 and 4 he won today. He played well. He's playing well. He's swinging well. He should be in that situation."

Three more wins -- on both sides of the bracket -- and Ames and Woods could meet again. "Oh boy, you guys would love that, wouldn't you," Ames said, grinning again. "That would be a field day in the news."

Ames paused. "I hope it would go 18," he said poking fun at himself after the lopsided loss last year, knowing full well the championship is scheduled for 36 holes. "Can it go 18? Yeah, it can.

"Can we throw in lunch there? Great, we'll do that. Like I said, you just learn from your experiences and go on from there. Take it in stride."