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South Africans win four
way playoff
South Africa claimed their
fourth World Cup title in a four-way play-off after a sensational finish in Japan.
Ernie Els and Retief Goosen
claimed the 1million first prize on the second hole of sudden death against the
Danish pair of Thomas Bjorn and Soren Hansen after the United States and New Zealand
had been eliminated on the first play-off hole.
The South Africans had to
eagle the 18th hole in regulation in Sunday's foursomes to make the play-off and
then birdied the same hole along with the Danes to stay alive.
A wayward drive from Bjorn
on the second play-off hole then left Hansen only able to play out of the trees
sideways and a par four from the South Africans was good enough for victory.
"I'm very happy,"
said Els. "It feels great to finally win a tournament this season, I've been
knocking on the door."
Els and Goosen's eagle was
not the only sensational three made on the 72nd hole however as Tiger Woods chipped
in to give the world number one and partner David Duval an unlikely chance to
defend their title.
The Americans had looked
dead and buried with just four holes to play, level par for the day and five shots
behind clubhouse leaders Denmark.
Even when they birdied the
15th, 16th and 17th to reach 22 under, it seemed as if it was too little too late
with South Africa and Denmark already in the clubhouse on 24 under and playing
partners New Zealand 24 under as well.
But those who write off
Woods do so at their peril and there was an air of inevitability in the way his
chip and run from a greenside hollow climbed the bank and rolled inexorably to
the hole before dropping into the right hand side of the cup.
Kiwi Michael Campbell, whose
pulled approach into the crowd on the 18th left partner David Smail with an awkward
pitch to the green, still had a chance to seal victory with an 18 foot putt for
birdie but left it short.
The Danes had set the early
target courtesy of a brilliant round of 65, the best foursomes of the week, Bjorn
bravely holing from 12 feet on the 18th for their seventh birdie of the day.
Seconds later the Kiwis
got back on level terms with a birdie on the 16th before the South Africans set
the tone for a remarkable grandstand finish.
Goosen's superb approach
finished just seven feet from the pin and Els coaxed the eagle putt into the hole
to join Denmark on 24 under.
Then it was Woods' turn
to write yet another remarkable chapter in his amazing career but just moments
later the magic was to crucially desert him.
He pulled his drive on the
first play-off hole into the trees to give Duval no option but to chip back onto
the fairway and the Open champion was then unable to convert a birdie putt from
20 feet.
Campbell's approach had
amazingly skipped through the pond surrounding the 18th green 'bouncing-bomb'
style but the Kiwis could not take advantage of their good fortune and only made
par.
That left Denmark and South
Africa, who both made birdie on the 18th, to fight it out on the 14th and Bjorn's
drive left the Danes just too much to do.
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