Big names through to semi finals

Ernie Els has stayed on course for a fourth World Match Play Championship title but defending champion Ian Woosnam crashed out of the tournament, losing 3 & 2 to New Zealand's Michael Campbell.

Three-times winner and second seed Els, a Wentworth resident, fired a tournament record of 12-under-par 60 in wet morning conditions on his way to a crushing 6 & 5 victory over 1999 winner Colin Montgomerie.

Montgomerie reeled off 12 birdies of his own but was no match on the day for the inspired South African, the Scot eventually conceding defeat after pulling his second shot into trees on the par-four 31st.

There were also quarter-final wins for fourth-seeded Sergio Garcia of Spain, who fought back from four down after 16 holes to beat Ireland's Padraig Harrington 2 & 1, and 1997 champion Vijay Singh, who triumphed against Retief Goosen 4 & 3 on Friday.

Campbell, whose birdie at the 43rd hole earlier in the day earned him a one-hole victory over Nick Faldo in the event's longest ever contest, held off a strong challenge from the Welshman in the afternoon to seal victory at the 34th hole.

The New Zealander, who had to return to Wentworth's West Course for a 0715 GMT start to complete his marathon first-round clash with Faldo, fired a six-under-par 66 to lead Woosnam by two after the first 18 holes.

But the Welshman squared the match with successive birdies on 20 and 21 and then edged one clear when he struck a three-iron to only five feet for an eagle-three at the 497-yard 22nd.

Woosnam completed the first nine in five-under-par 30 to Campbell's 32 before the 33-year-old New Zealander, playing in the tournament for the first time, levelled once again with a birdie at the par-three 23rd.

The pair matched each other over the next five holes before Campbell won the 29th, where Woosnam missed a two-foot putt for par, and the 30th with a conceded eagle-three.

A six-iron to five feet at the par-three 32nd earned Campbell his 11th birdie of the day as he moved three in front and the match was over just two holes later.

"It's been hard mentally and physically but it's gone pretty well for me and I feel pretty good," said the New Zealander.

"Woosie came out fresh and it showed in the afternoon -- he got off to a quick start and I was one down after 22 holes.

"But I managed to hit a few greens coming home and raise my game -- I felt great out there."

In the bottom match, Els finished birdie-eagle-birdie in the morning to eclipse the previous best of 11-under-par 61, first set by Montgomerie in 2000 and then equalled by Harrington during last year's final.

The big South African bogeyed the 19th to have his lead cut by one but got back to four ahead when Montgomerie ran up a bogey-five at the 21st and increased his advantage when the Scot conceded an eagle putt at the 22nd.

Although the seven-times European number one cut the deficit by one after Els three-putted for a bogey on 24, the South African got back to five up when Montgomerie produced a three-putt of his own on 27. The match ended four holes later.

"Before I went out today, I felt really good and fresh," said British Open champion Els. "I don't know what it is but he (Montgomerie) always seems to bring the best out of me."

Fifth-seeded Harrington reeled off two birdies in his first four holes on his way to a two-hole advantage over Ryder Cup team mate Garcia at lunch in the second match out.

But the Irishman, who lost 2 & 1 to Woosnam in last year's final, lost ground in the afternoon. Garcia struck an eight-iron to five feet for birdie at the 20th hole and then levelled the match with a conceded birdie at the par-four 24th.

Further birdies on 25, 27 and 30 lifted the Spaniard three clear but the Dubliner narrowed the gap to just one with birdies on 33 and 34 before going out of bounds off the tee for the third time this week at the par-five 17th hole to end the match.

"It's not an easy hole," Garcia said of the 571-yard 17th. "You could see he (Harrington) was a little uncomfortable and backed off once.

"I managed to hit two good drives there and that's important."

Third seed Goosen, like Harrington, made a good start in the morning but was all square with 1997 champion Singh after the first 18 holes.

The tall Fijian took control early in the afternoon, moving one ahead after rifling an eight-iron to six feet at the par-three 20th and then doubling his lead after sinking a 50-foot putt for another birdie at the 21st.

Both players produced consecutive birdies on 22 and 23 before Singh forged three clear with a 24-foot putt for birdie at the 24th.

Goosen cut the deficit after hitting a nine-iron to nine feet at the par-four 25th before a missed putt from only six feet at the 29th restored Singh's three-hole cushion.

The Fijian sealed victory when he hit a six-iron to just one foot at the 32nd hole, both players then conceding the 33rd.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page