VIRGINIA WATER, England, Oct 18: Ernie Els had double cause for celebration on Saturday with victory in his World Match Play Championship semifinal coinciding with confirmation that he will finish as Europe’s number one this season.
The big South African world number two, chasing a record-equalling fifth Match Play title and a one million pounds ($1.67 million) first prize into the bargain, won an astonishing eight holes in a row on his way to a 5&4 defeat of Vijay Singh.
That run surpassed a 38-year record in the event set by his countryman Gary Player during his comeback win over Tony Lema.
Holder Els, 34 on Friday, will meet either Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn or American Ben Curtis in the final. After 30 holes, Bjorn led the British Open champion by one hole.
Els learned earlier on Saturday that he could not be overhauled as Europe’s leading money winner with over two million pounds after his nearest rival Darren Clarke decided against playing in next week’s Madrid Open, the season’s penultimate event.
Els had looked in trouble early on in the 36-hole match against Singh who led four-up at one stage but his fortunes turned dramatically from the 16th as he won the last three holes with birdies and followed up after lunch by winning the first five of his afternoon round. That left him four-up.
The Fijian finally found some rhythm but even when he eagled the long 12th, Els matched it with a magnificent eight iron to four feet and a bogey from Singh at the 14th completed his misery.
He will meet Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn in the final who beat American Ben Curtis.
Semifinal results: Ernie Els (South Africa) bt Vijay Singh (Fiji) 5 & 4; Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) bt Ben Curtis (U.S.) 2 holes.
GREENSBORO (North Carolina): Japan’s Shigeki Maruyama fired an eight-under-par 64 to lead the Greensboro Classic by five-shots after the second round on Friday.
Maruyama hit nine birdies and a single bogey on his way to a 15-under 129 total.
Leading second round scores:
129 Shigeki Maruyama (Japan) 65 64 \134 Brad Faxon 67 67
135 Stephen Ames (Trinidad & Tobago) 64 71, Paul Gow 66 69
136 Jonathan Byrd 66 70, Dicky Pride 66 70, Tom Carter 70 66, Tom Byrum 68 68
137 Geoff Ogilvy 68 69, Dave Stockton Jr. 68 69, K.J. Choi 68 69, Peter Jacobsen 63 74, Per-Ulrik Johansson 71 66, Jay Haas 69 68, Matt Gogel 70 67, David Sutherland 71 66
MACAU: Third-round scores here on Saturday from the US$250,000 Macau Open at the Macau Golf and Country Club:
202 - Scott Barr 66-67-69
205 - Colin Montgomerie 66-72-67, Jason Knutzon 66-70-69
206 - Sushi Ishigaki 69-68-69
207 - Arjun Atwal 70-69-68, Lu Wei-Lan 67-70-70, Thaworn Wiratchant 68-67-72
208 - Glenn Joyner 70-67-71
209 - Adam Le Vesconte 72-69-68, Derek Fung 66-75-68, Kevin Na 69-71-69, Lin Wen-Tang 69-71-69, Robert Jacobson 70-69-70, Hendrik Buhrmann 72-65-72.—Agencies