Day scored a commanding winner-takes-all victory over two-time major champion Collin Morikawa before Herbert held his nerve down the stretch to hang on against Ben Griffin to also advance to the round of 16 with 3-0 unbeaten records for the week.

Day continued his stellar form to shut out Morikawa 4&3 to top Group 9 at Austin Country Club and set up a showdown with milestone man Matt Kuchar for a place in the quarter-finals.

After taking down Canadian Adam Svensson (4&2) and Frenchman Victor Perez (2&1) in his opening two matches, Day only needed a tie on Friday to advance.

But he throttled Morikawa from the get-go as a weather warning threatened to interrupt proceedings.

The former World No.1 birdied three of his first four holes to go 2-up, doubled his lead with a sixth birdie in 12 holes and eventually closed out the match on No.15 to remain in the hunt for a third triumph – and the $US3.5 million ($A5.3 million) winner's cheque – at the final edition of the popular event.

The tournament winner in 2014 and 2016, Day knows he's in for a torrid time against Kuchar, who routed Si Woo Kim 7&6 to top Group 8 after equalling Tiger Woods' record number of wins at the event.

The only three-time Match Play winner, Woods boasts a 36-12 record at the tournament. Kuchar is now 36-12, plus four ties, and can remove his legendary countryman from a page in golf's history books by eliminating Day on Saturday.

RIGHT: Lucas Herbert continued his bounce back from a poor showing at the Players Championship with a chance to secure a Masters invite. PHOTO: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images.

"Matching Tiger's record shows just how difficult he is to beat," Day said.

"He's a very patient guy. Doesn't get too ahead of himself or he doesn't get really down as well.

"I just have to play to my own strengths and, if I can do that and put a little bit of pressure on him, great. Hopefully that makes a difference."

Finally free of the back problems that have dogged his career in recent years, Day looks a man on a mission as the former PGA Championship winner hunts down a first Tour victory since 2018.

“It's just so hard to put an exact date on when I'm going to break through. Every day I wake up just trying to improve and learn and get better as a player,” Day said. “Whether it comes early or later down the road, it doesn't matter. I'm just trying to improve my game.”

Also only needing a tie to progress, Herbert was cruising for much of the day against Griffin, 3-up through 11 holes, only to allow the American back into the contest.

But Herbert clinched a 3&1 victory with a 24-foot birdie putt on the 17th to win Group 14.

After missing the Players Championship cut last start, Herbert's win booked a sudden-death date with World No.3 Rory McIlroy and also kept alive the World No.56's hopes of earning a late invite to the Masters starting on April 6.

“Wouldn't have been surprised at the start of the week if you'd told me I lost all three matches. Didn't have a lot of confidence obviously with that result,” Herbert said.

“It's just so hard to put an exact date on when I'm going to break through. Every day I wake up just trying to improve and learn and get better as a player." - Jason Day.

“To go and play the way I did and I feel like I'm the person I was two months ago again with the confidence in my game again, and just kind of ready to tackle these bigger events and step into the spotlight rather than stepping away from it.

“It's going to be fun. He's a great player. If he turns up with his A game I think I'm in a lot of trouble. But if he doesn't, I'm looking for the fight.”

While Day and Herbert marched on, fellow Australians Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee and Cam Davis were all eliminated.

Scott lost 3&2 to Canadian Adam Hadwin as American Sam Burns topped Group 13 unbeaten to progress after seeing off Ireland's Seamus Power 2&1.

Lee went down 2&1 to American JJ Spaun, who advanced from Group 11 with a 3-0 record and will play sixth-seeded compatriot Xander Schauffele.

Davis bowed out after a 1-up loss to Aaron Wise as Schauffele topped their Group 6 undefeated with a 1-up win over Tom Hoge.

World No.1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler also sailed through, unbeaten in Group 1 after a 3&2 triumph over Tom Kim.

Scheffler will play Group 16 winner JT Poston, with the victor to meet either Day or Kuchar in the quarter-finals.

American fourth and fifth seeds Patrick Cantlay and Max Homa also progressed, with Homa getting a walkover victory after Hideki Matsuyama withdrew and conceded the match.

LAST-16 MATCH-UPS

1-Scottie Scheffler (USA) v 43-JT Poston (USA)

32-Jason Day (AUS) v 59-Matt Kuchar (USA)

13-Sam Burns (USA) v 4-Patrick Cantlay (USA)

5-Max Homa (USA) v 50-Mackenzie Hughes (CAN)

3-Rory McIlroy (NIR) v 46-Lucas Herbert (AUS)

61-JJ Spaun (USA) v 6-Xander Schauffele (USA)

19-Kurt Kitayama (USA) v 56-Andrew Putnam (USA)

15-Cameron Young (USA) v 22-Billy Horschel (USA)