Marana, AZ (My Sportsbook) - Geoff Ogilvy took a 3-up lead over Paul Casey after the first 18 holes of the 36-hole final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Ogilvy had a 4-up lead until Casey holed a 10-foot birdie putt at 18.

"That's match-play, it's a funny game," said Ogilvy, the 2006 champion and 2007 runner-up.

Casey can take some momentum from the birdie at 18, but in order to get his first PGA Tour win, he will need to improve his putting. Casey missed three putts inside five feet over the first 18.

"Contemplated putting with my six-iron to be honest," said Casey. "It was a little bit of a shaky start for me. Geoff's played very solid golf and hasn't given anything away."

Both Ogilvy and Casey hit spectacular approaches to the first green. Ogilvy rolled in his five-foot birdie putt, but Casey could not convert from four feet to fall 1-down.

The story of Casey's balky putter added another chapter at six. Ogilvy and Casey both lagged long birdie putts inside five feet, but Casey could not get his ball into the hole. Ogilvy kicked in his three-footer and was 2-up.

At the par-five eighth, Ogilvy reached the green in two, while Casey missed the putting surface and had a difficult pitch ahead of him. Casey couldn't get his ball inside Ogilvy's and missed his birdie putt. Ogilvy stroked his putt down to two feet and tapped in for birdie and a 3-up cushion.

One hole later, Ogilvy hit his approach to seven feet. Casey did not play the hole well and left himself with 15 feet for par. The Englishman made that putt to maybe gain some confidence, but that was short-lived. Ogilvy poured in his birdie putt to win the hole and go 4-up.

Casey solved his putting woes at the 10th. He holed out his six-iron approach from the fairway for an eagle. Ogilvy could not match that feat, although he did hit a great shot, and lost the hole.

With all of the momentum on Casey's side, Ogilvy stole it back at the par-five 11th. Even though he had to take an unplayable drop, Ogilvy managed to get his fourth just in front of the green. He chipped in for par and watched Casey miss a 12-footer that could've halved the hole.

At the 13th, Casey made a five-foot birdie putt to win the hole and cut the deficit to 3-down. Ogilvy got it back to 4-up with an eight-footer for birdie at 16.

Ogilvy knocked his second to 10 feet at 17, but Casey played his much closer to the stick. Ogilvy calmly drained the birdie putt, but Casey followed him in with his birdie to halve the hole.

It was Casey's birdie at the last that cut his gap to 3-down.

The second 18 holes of the final are scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. (et).

The consolation match between Stewart Cink and Ross Fisher for third place will begin at 1:45 p.m.