20 January 2004	Tuesday	27 Ziqa'ad 1424

HONOLULU Jan 19: World number three Ernie Els birdied the third playoff hole to defeat Harrison Frazar and successfully defend his Hawaiian Open title on Sunday.

Els shot a closing five-under-par 65 to finish 72 holes on 262, 18 under. Frazar birdied the last two holes of regulation to shoot a 66 and keep pace with Els, who defeated Australian Aaron Baddeley in a playoff here last year.

Els and Frazar both made pars on the first two playoff holes before the South African sank a 30-foot putt at the par-three 11th to win for the 13th time on the PGA Tour.

The world number three also became the third player to win this event in consecutive years, joining Hubert Green (1978-79) and Corey Pavin (1986-87).Frazar, who was ahead overnight, bogeyed the sixth and seventh holes to relinquish the lead to Els, who birdied five out of seven from the eighth to build a two-stroke advantage.

Els three-putted the 15th green to reduce his lead to one shot before Frazar birdied from 21 feet at the par-three 17th to join him on 17-under. They both then birdied the par-five 18th.

Final round scores

262 Ernie Els 67 64 66 65, Harrison Frazar 67 63 66 66

(Els won with a birdie on the third playoff hole)

265 Davis Love III 70 65 63 67

266 Frank Lickliter II 71 62 65 68

267 Jerry Kelly 68 65 69 65, Briny Baird 68 66 66 67

268 John Riegger 68 66 67 67

269 Stephen Ames 66 70 65 68, Craig Barlow 66 69 66 68

270 Vijay Singh 69 68 67 66, Omar Uresti 72 66 67 65, John Huston 67 67 69 67, Retief Goosen 67 69 65 69, Paul Azinger 67 66 66 71

271 Aaron Baddeley 66 72 67 66, Brenden Pappas 67 69 69 66, Jesper Parnevik 65 68 70 68, Craig Bowden 70 64 69 68, Bo Van Pelt 71 65 67 68.-Reuters