Els to meet Singh in semi finals

Defending champion Ernie Els defeated Tim Clark yesterday to reach the semifinals of the World Match Play Championship.

Els, who turned 34 yesterday, won, 2 up, and will next face Vijay Singh. Els is trying to equal the record of five titles at this event held by Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros.

In other quarterfinals, Singh defeated PGA champion Shaun Micheel, 1 up, on the second playoff hole; British Open champion Ben Curtis beat Chad Campbell, 5 and 3; and Thomas Bjorn defeated Masters champion Mike Weir, 5 and 4, on the Wentworth Club's West Course.

Players qualified through a system that takes into account performances in the four majors. First prize is $1.67 million.

Els shot a 3-under 32 on the front nine of the second 18 to push his lead to five holes - and then nearly blew it.

"I've been in this movie before where I tried and tried and couldn't close a guy out," Els said.

Birdies on Nos. 5, 6 and 7 gave him the five-hole edge. But Clark, thanks to tee shots by Els on Nos. 13 and 15 that found the trees, won four straight holes.

Els escaped by halving the 17th and winning the final hole.

Micheel also had problems off the course. He said he was robbed of about $2,000 in cash and credit cards Thursday night at a house on the club's grounds.

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