VIRGINIA WATER, England - Defending champion Ernie Els beat Vijay Singh 5 and 4 Saturday and has a shot to win a record-tying fifth World Match Play title.
In the other marquee matchup, Thomas Bjorn beat Ben Curtis 2-up on the West Course at Wentworth. Bjorn lost this year's British Open by one stroke to Curtis.
Today is Bjorn's first appearance in the event's final. Els tries to join Seve Ballesteros and Gary Player as five-time winners.
Els also locked up the European money title with two events left. Darren Clarke, his nearest rival and $950,000 behind, pulled out of the last two tournaments. Clarke needed to win both to have any chance of overtaking Els.
Els won eight straight holes in the middle of the 36-hole match after trailing by four after 15. He broke the record of seven straight set 38 years ago by Tony Lema.
"I don't know what Vijay had for lunch, but he didn't hit the ball the same at the start of the second 18," Els said.
CHRYSLER CLASSIC: Shigeki Maruyama played just well enough to retain the lead in the PGA Tour event at Greensboro, N.C.
Maruyama, who led by five entering the third round, saw his advantage shrink to a stroke before rallying with eagle at No. 13 and finishing with 2-under 70. He was at 17-under 199, three strokes ahead of Brad Faxon (68) heading into today's final round at Forest Oaks Country Club.
The 5-foot-7 Maruyama, nicknamed the "Smilin' Assassin," saw Faxon move within a stroke before he rolled in the 11-foot eagle putt, extending his lead to three.
Maruyama saved par at No. 18 with a 30-foot putt but had his streak of sub-70 rounds stopped at 12. He was satisfied to maintain his three-shot advantage in tricky winds and dropping temperatures.
"I didn't play as good as the last two days today, but it was really hard with the wind to aim at the pin today," the Japanese golfer said. "I'm still having good putting.'
Peter Lonard shot 67 to move into a three-way tie for third place at 205 with Matt Gogel (68) and K.J. Choi (68), who won last year's Tampa Bay Classic at Innisbrook.
SBC CHAMPIONSHIP: Craig Stadler shot 7-under 64 for a two-stroke lead over Bob Gilder in the second round of the Champions Tour event in San Antonio, Texas. Stadler, who won the B.C. Open on the PGA Tour this year, was at 11-under 131. Tom Watson (66), Walter Hall (67) and Bruce Fleisher (70) were at 136. First-round leader Jim Thorpe shot 72 and was six back.
MALLORCA CLASSIC: David Park had a one-stroke lead over Jose Maria Olazabal (69) and Damien McGrane (71) going into the final round of the European PGA Tour event in Pula, Balearic Islands. The event was shortened to 54 holes because of lightning. Park was at 134 after not playing Saturday.
MACAU OPEN: Colin Montgomerie moved into contention for his first title this year, shooting 71 to trail Scott Barr (69), who has led after each round, by three in the Asian PGA Tour event. SKIP ALEXANDER/CITY CHAMPIONSHIP: Doug Root beat Kyle McCarthy by a shot at Mangrove Bay, winning St. Petersburg's city championship a fourth time with 71-72-143. Danielle Jackson, 15, defended her women's title, shooting 77-78-155, three better than Chris Martin. Jim Bova won the senior title at 70-73-143.
- Times correspondent Dave Theall contributed to this report.
