Matt Wallace will have his eyes on another prize potentially tomorrow when England go into the knockout stages of GolfSixes fighting on two fronts.

The Moor Park professional and teammate Eddie Pepperell had to come from behind after losing the first hole to draw 1-1 against the England Women’s team of Georgia Hall and Charley Hull in the stand-out first round match of the innovative six-hole tournament staged near St Albans.

The England men then took an early two-hole lead in their second match against Sweden at a sun-drenched Centurion Club, but Alexander Bjork and Joakim Lagergren battled back for a 2-2 draw which left their opponents needing a win in their final Group D game against South Africa to make the last-eight.

Wallace and Pepperell had the job done by the fifth hole against George Coetzee and Haydn Porteous though, opening up a 2-0 lead before they won through 2-1 to set up a quarter-final with France.

Both English players are European Tour winners this season, with Wallace triumphing at the Hero Indian Open before going close again last week when he finished in a tie for third at the Volvo China Open.

The England men had jokingly walked off the first tee after Hull had put a superb tee shot stone dead on the par three first, but the match didn't take off thereafter until a high quality par five final hole, although Wallace and Pepperell got back on terms on the fourth.

A fine drive from Wallace and an excellent second from his teammate put the men seemingly in the box seat with a six-footer left for eagle.

The women had other ideas though, and after Hull had found the front of the green withy her second, Hall rolled in the putt from around 25 feet to ensure the hole was halved in threes.

Although the England Women were to lose 2-1 in their final match against Sweden, the 4-1 win they secured against South Africa proved decisive as they advanced as group runners-up on holes won. Their quarter-final reward is a clash with Ireland.

A crowd of more than 4,000 enjoyed the glorious conditions to watch 16 teams battle out in four groups of four in a greensomes match play format over six holes, with all players teeing off before they select the best shot and then play alternately.

Paul Dunne and Gavin Moynihan took the Group C plaudits for Ireland with victories over Scotland and Italy, with Romain Wattel and Mike Lorenzo-Vera securing second spot for the French.

The opening day of the event represented a triumph for the women’s game because the European female pairing of Mel Reid and Carlota Ciganda progressed as runners-up from Group A after a play-off hole victory over defending champions Denmark, whose challenged ended at the first hurdle.

Reid and Ciganda will face Group B winners Australia (Wade Ormsby and Sam Brazel) in the last eight, while Group A victors (Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat) take on South Korea (Jeunghun Wang and Soomin Lee).

Tomorrow's quarter-final tee times are:

12.40pm: Thailand v South Korea

12.55pm: Ireland v England Women

1.10pm: Australia v European Women

1.25pm: England Men v France