VIRGINIA WATER, 16 October 2004 — Defending champion Ernie Els held off a determined challenge from Argentina’s Angel Cabrera to reach the World Match Play Championship semifinals at Wentworth yesterday.
The world No. 2 was joined in the last four by European Ryder Cup winners Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood, who edged out Thomas Levet and Retief Goosen respectively in tight quarterfinals. Miguel Angel Jimenez led Bernhard Langer, who upset world No. 1 Vijay Singh in the first round, by three after 28 holes in a match that will be completed today.
Els, seeking a record sixth Match Play title, sank an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th green to seal a one-hole win over Cabrera and set up a clash with Harrington. Els, trailing by one after 18 holes, was unable to break free from Cabrera, who carded two eagles and nine birdies to take the South African all the way. Els edged ahead with a 30-foot birdie putt at the 29th hole and Cabrera’s bogey on the 13th gave him a two-hole cushion.
Cabrera refused to lie down, however, making birdie on the par-three 14th and when Els fluffed a pitch from just off the 16th green the match was all square.
Els conjured up another birdie at the long 17th and although Cabrera made birdie at the par-five 18th Els got down in two from well off the green to advance to the last four.
Harrington stormed into a six-hole lead against Levet, his Ryder Cup teammate, but the Frenchman staged a remarkable fightback to take the match to the final hole.
Jimenez never trailed Langer, his Ryder Cup captain. The Spaniard was three ahead of the 47-year-old German after 18 holes and he maintained that advantage to close in on a semifinal meeting with Westwood.
Langer had earlier ended Singh’s hopes at the first extra hole of their delayed first-round match. Singh, winner of eight tournaments this season, recovered from three down with four holes remaining to send the contest into sudden death but Langer held his nerve to complete a famous victory.
Els completed a 2&1 victory over Briton Scott Drummond, Cabrera edged out Korean K.J.Choi by one hole, Westwood beat British Open champion Todd Hamilton 4&3 and Jimenez was a 3&2 winner over American Steve Flesch. Harrington beat American Chris Riley 2&1 and Levet defeated Canadian Mike Weir 2&1.
Briton Khan on Course to Win Mallorca Classic
In Pula, Mallorca, Britain’s Simon Khan is on course for a second win of the season after taking the lead in the Mallorca Classic second round yesterday.
A closing bogey for Sergio Garcia ended the tournament favorite’s hopes of finishing the day in second place on his own. The world No. 11 had begun spectacularly by holing his wedge shot on the fourth for an eagle two.
Garcia, who had tied for the overnight clubhouse lead with compatriot Carlos Rodiles following a Thursday disrupted by lightning suspensions, now shares second place, three strokes off the lead with Rodiles and Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson. Khan, a maiden tour winner in the Wales Open in June, had to fight off a cold and tiredness when playing 23 holes as he added a six-under-par 64 to the 66 he finished off earlier in the day.
Record-Setting Grace Park Grabs Lead
In Palm Desert, California, South Korea’s Grace Park grabbed the first-round lead in the LPGA Samsung World Championship on Thursday with a tournament-record 62. Park’s dazzling 10-under effort, which included nine birdies and an eagle, put her vaunted playing partners Annika Sorenstam and Michelle Wie in the shade — and gave her a two-stroke lead over Britain’s Catriona Matthew in the elite $825,000 tournament.
Park broke the tournament record of nine-under 63 set by Pat Bradley in 1980. She almost holed her approach from the fairway at the par-five 12th, where she sank a two-foot putt for an eagle.
