VIRGINIA WATER, England, 20 October 2003 — Ernie Els collected a record-equaling World Match Play Championship title and a one million pounds ($1.67 million) prize after comfortably beating Thomas Bjorn 4&3 at Wentworth yesterday.
The big South African, ranked second in the world, joined countryman Gary Player and Spain’s Seve Ballesteros as the only men to win the event five times after a disappointingly one-sided final which was at least lifted by a hole-in-one from an otherwise out-of-sorts Bjorn at the 179-yard 14th.
Holder and top seed Els was never headed by the Dane in the 36-hole shootout over the West Course and had taken control by the halfway stage to lead by three holes.
Bjorn, a member of the victorious 2002 European Ryder Cup team but unseeded here, lacked the inspiration to dent Els’ dominance after a break for lunch and a miscued approach shot cost him further ground at the fifth hole of the second round. He then badly hooked his drive at the ninth to land in thick undergrowth from which there was no escape and Els found himself five holes up with nine to play.
Bjorn’s woes continued at the next after another poor tee shot failed to locate the short 10th green. He pulled one hole back with a 25-foot putt for eagle at the long 12th and then another at the short 14th where his four-iron tee-shot ran straight into the hole to the delight of a sympathetic gallery.
Bjorn won a 37,000 pounds ($62,000) Toyota car for the ace, only the third in the tournament’s 39-year history.
His radar, though, was badly out at the 15th when he speared a straightforward approach shot through the green and Els only needed to par the hole to close out the match, although it took a fine, curling 20-foot putt to do it.
Jimenez Wins Mallorca Classic as Olazabal Stumbles
Miguel Angel Jimenez won the Turespana Mallorca Classic after a late collapse by fellow Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal yesterday.
Olazabal headed Jimenez, who had closed with a five-under-par 65 to finish on six under, by two strokes with two holes to go at the weather-disrupted tournament.
But Olazabal, chasing his seventh Spanish title, double-bogeyed the 17th and bogeyed the 18th to finish a stroke behind in second place. Jimenez, who had also bogeyed the 17th, was so sure his compatriot would edge him out he changed into a shirt and jeans, not even expecting a playoff.
Olazabal had overtaken faltering overnight leader David Park of Britain with two birdies in the first three holes and added another birdie on the 11th but then hit out of bounds on the penultimate hole.
He then sprayed his ball wide right on the short 18th and chipped from on the green 10 feet past to bogey for a round of 70.
Winner Jimenez had thrown down the gauntlet by running up six birdies before his late blemish. Britons Jamie Spence and Gary Emerson shared third place a further stroke behind. Spence virtually assured himself of his card for next year with his finish.
Montgomerie Wins Macau Open to Land First Title This Year
Europe’s Ryder Cup star Colin Montgomerie won his first title in 2003 when he defeated unknown Australian Scott Barr in a playoff to win the $250,000 Macau Open yesterday.
Montgomerie, one shot behind Barr coming into the final hole, forced a playoff when he birdied a two-foot putt while his opponent could only watch a birdie putt lip out from 12 feet.
The Scot then claimed the title with another birdie on the first playoff hole while Barr, who had found the bunker with his approach shot, could only manage a par.
“This is just delightful. It not only gives me my first title for the year, but it also keeps alive my streak. I love Asia. The last time I won was also in Asia,” said a delighted Montgomerie. The seven-time European Order of Merit winner had been looking to end a 12-month title drought. His last victory was at the TCL Classic in China. “I seem to be keeping it until late in the year now. October is too late. Maybe I’m getting older,” laughed Montgomerie, in high spirits after his narrow victory.
