Pars at the 16th, 17th and 18th were sufficient for Poulter to take charge as Clark delivered a hat-trick of bogeys.

A par at the third had Poulter further in command while a birdie at the sixth - the first time in the round that the 37-year-old was required to go under par to win a hole – saw him to a routine win.

Robert Garrigus earlier became the first player to book his place in the quarter-finals after defeating Fredrik Jacobson 3&1.

American Garrigus, 35, is making his first appearance at the event in Arizona and kept himself on course for an unlikely triumph as he comfortably saw off his Swedish opponent.

Garrigus and Jacobson were the first players to tee off today after freezing conditions in the early morning forced organisers to delay the start by 45 minutes.

Garrigus won four holes to Jacobson’s one over the front nine to build up a commanding advantage, but the Swede roared back after the turn to pull level on the back of birdies at the 11th, 12th and 13th.

Garrigus regrouped, however, a birdie at the 14th followed up by an eagle on the 15th as he wrapped up his win with a hole to spare.

American Hunter Mahan, the reigning Match Play champion, also progressed after a commanding 5&4 win over Germany's Martin Kaymer.

Mahan raced into an early lead, going two up after four holes on the back of two birdies, before further gains at six, seven and eight put him five up and into an advantage he never looked in danger of relinquishing.

Mahan’s ninth consecutive match victory at Dove Mountain was completed on the 14th hole as the players traded pars.

Matt Kuchar of the United States also went through after seeing off Nicolas Colsaerts 4&3.

Kuchar enjoyed birdies on three of his first four holes to go two up and he reached the turn three clear of the Belgian.

The pair had a run of pars over the first five holes of the back nine but a birdie for Kuchar at the 15th wrapped up the win.