HSBC WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP RELATED STORIES HSBC World Match Play Championship Preview Round 1: Ernie Els and Paul Casey advance Round 2: Ernie Els through to semi-finals Round 3: Ernie Els and Angel Cabrera to meet in final Round 4: Ernie Els wins Match Play title for the seventh time HSBC World Match Play Championship Scores 2007 European Tour Schedule GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Last chance to impress at Gleneagles New FedExCup points method causing surprises Vijay Singh looking forward to Deutsche Bank Players surprised by LPGA "English" rule Ryder Cup race ends at Gleneagles Tiger Woods won't swing a club till 2009 GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers InstructaCard - your portable pro! The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Golf Insurance

Ernie Els wins Match Play title for the seventh time

Ernie Els described his record seventh World Match Play title as one of the most satisfying of his glittering career.

"I don't know how to put it but this has been a very important win," the South African told reporters after defeating Argentina's Angel Cabrera 6 and 4 in Sunday's Wentworth final to end a 10-month wait for a tournament victory.

"I'm a very patient guy but quite an impatient person when it comes to getting results and I haven't had the results this year go my way in Europe, America or wherever I've played. To get a win and to play the way I did today is really satisfying."

Three-times major champion Els, who last appeared in the winner's circle at the South African Open in December, never trailed in his 36-hole match with Cabrera despite playing with a slight injury in the morning.

"I had a bit of a problem with my back," he said. "I wasn't hitting the ball very crisply but my putter was really hot this morning and that kept me in front.

"I had a bit of treatment and a nice lunch. I felt a lot more loose and played really well this afternoon," said the Wentworth resident after firing 13 birdies in his 32 holes.

Els said he left his best to last after ousting Colin Montgomerie, Andres Romero and Henrik Stenson on the way to the final.

"I think today was my best day," he said after clinching his 24th European Tour victory. "It was one of my best scoring days.

"The course has something to do with that. The greens were perfect and the conditions quite soft so you could be really aggressive."

Els took a lead of 150,000 pounds ($305,900) on top of the European order of merit after picking up the richest first prize in golf, one million pounds.

But the South African, who turns 38 on Wednesday, is not planning to play in any of the remaining three events, the Portugal Masters, Mallorca Classic or season-ending Volvo Masters in Spain.

"Hopefully some of the outsiders play well and keep (second-placed) Padraig Harrington and (third-placed) Justin Rose honest," said Els before jetting off to Paris to watch Sunday night's rugby World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Argentina.

Cabrera's allegiances lay elsewhere.

"I congratulate Ernie, he's a great champion," said the 38-year-old Argentine. "But I hope the Pumas win tonight and have better luck than I did."