GOTEMBA (Japan), Nov 18: South Africans Ernie Els and Retief Goosen won a four-way playoff involving the United States, New Zealand and Denmark after a drama-filled final round at the golf World Cup Sunday.

Goosen tapped in for par on the second playoff hole at the par-four 14th and South Africa’s victory was assured moments later when Soren Hansen failed to save par from seven feet after partner Thomas Bjorn had found the trees with his tee shot.

Defending champions Tiger Woods and David Duval, who only squeezed into the playoff after an incredible chip-in eagle from Woods on the par-five 18th, were eliminated on the first extra hole along with overnight leaders New Zealand.

Els, too, eagled the last hole of regulation play, sinking an eight-foot putt to leave South Africa tied in the clubhouse on a four-round total of 24-under-par 264 along with Denmark, who had the day’s best score of seven-under 65 in the final-day foursomes.

The South Africans, who began the final day four strokes off the lead, combined for a six-under-par 66 as Els, in particular, rediscovered his putting stroke after missing a number of chances earlier in the $3-million tournament.

Woods and Duval were left to rue the penalty stroke they incurred in Thursday’s opening round when Duval took an illegal practice stroke on the 16th hole.

The Americans, who teed off on Sunday three shots behind New Zealand, failed to make a single birdie on the front nine as they went head-to-head with New Zealand in the final group.

Their frustration was compounded on the par-five ninth when Woods missed an eight-foot par putt.

But birdies on 11, 14, 16 and 17 brought the Americans back into contention before Woods worked his magic on the last for an improbable round of 67.

Duval had left Woods with a near-impossible task after his approach landed in the light rough some 12 feet right of the green but the world number one chipped in with a wonderful bump-and-run shot to put the U.S. on 24 under.

New Zealand still had a chance to win the World Cup outright with a 20-foot birdie putt but Campbell left it short to send the tournament into a four-way playoff.

Els and Goosen took home the first prize of $1 million dollars for South Africa’s first World Cup victory since Els won with Wayne Westner on home soil in 1996.

Final round scores:

264 — South Africa (Ernie Els/Retief Goosen) 64, 71, 63, 66 (won on second playoff hole); Denmark (Thomas Bjorn/Soren Hansen) 65, 69, 65, 65; United States (Tiger Woods/David Duval) 66, 68, 63, 67; New Zealand (Michael Campbell/David Smail) 63, 66, 65, 70.

267 — England (Ian Poulter/Paul Casey) 65, 72, 63, 67.

268 — Canada (Mike Weir/Ian Leggatt) 62, 73, 66, 67; Spain (Sergio Garcia/Miguel Angel Jimenez) 63, 71, 65, 69.

269 — Fiji (Vijay Singh/Dinesh Chand) 66, 69, 66, 68; Argentina (Angel Cabrera/Eduardo Romero) 67, 68, 63, 71; France (Thomas Levet/Raphael Jacquelin) 67, 68, 63, 71.

270 — Scotland (Andrew Coltart/Dean Robertson) 62, 71, 66, 71; Wales (Phillip Price/Mark Mouland) 66, 71, 62, 71; Japan (Toshimitsu Izawa/Shigeki) 64, 69, 65, 72.

271 — Australia (Adam Scott/Aaron Baddeley) 66, 70, 64, 71; Ireland (Padraig Harrington/Paul McGinley) 64, 72, 64, 71.

272 — Sweden (Niclas Fasth/Robert Karlsson) 62, 73, 66, 71.

274 — China (Zhang Lian-Wei/Liang Wen-Chong) 67, 69, 68, 70; Mexico (Octavio Gonzalez/Alejandro Quiroz) 66, 71, 67, 70; Norway (Per Haugsrud/Henrik Bjornstad) 67, 72, 61, 74.

278 — Zimbabwe (Mark McNulty/Tony Johnstone) 66, 74, 66, 72.

281 — Paraguay (Carlos Franco/Angel Franco) 68, 72, 66, 75.

282 — Netherlands (Maarten Lafeber/Robert Jan Derksen) 70, 72, 64, 76.

285 — Malaysia (Danny Chia/Periasamy Gunasegaran) 66, 80, 68, 71.

289 — Philippines (Rodrigo Cuello/Danny Zarate) 67, 75, 73, 74.—Reuters