Els wins record fifth HSBC World Match Play title

BY iseekgolf.com | European PGA Tour | 2003 HSBC World Match Play Championship | Wrap | 20 Oct 2003

Ernie Els, playing in his sixth final, won the £2.3 million 2003 World Match Play championship with a comprehensive four and three victory over Thomas Bjorn, who hit a hole in one at the 32nd hole, to become only the third player in the competition’s history to win five championships.

Els’ five titles were won in 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002 and 2003, equalling the record haul set by Severiano Ballesteros and Gary Player.

The two players won £1.4 million between them with the champion winning the biggest prize in golf, a cool £1 million and the Mark McCormack trophy, while the Dane went home with a runners-up cheque for £400,000. HSBC Group Chief Executive Stephen Green presented the trophy.

The South African, three times a winner of a major in 1994 and 1997 at the US Open and in 2002 when he won the Open Championship at Muirfield won comfortably in the end against an out of sorts Thomas Bjorn, playing in his first final.

Els had a comfortable three hole lead at the halfway mark after the Dane had at one point cut the South African’s lead to just one hole.

At the start of the afternoon round the two players halved the 19th and 20th holes. Bjorn then missed a great opportunity to win the hole on the 3rd green when he missed a very makeable putt. Els shot a birdie four at the par five 22nd to halve it in four. Two putts from 12 feet at the 23rd hole were enough to then give Els a four-shot lead over the Dane who shot a bogey four. The players then halved the next three holes.

The Dane then conceded the 27th hole after finding the deep rough with his tee shot to go five down. At the next hole Bjorn found the rough once again and despite finding the edge of the green failed to chip in to save the hole. Els then missed a great chance to go seven up when he failed to sink a three foot putt at the 29th hole.

Ryder Cup star Bjorn then kept the match alive at the 32nd hole with an eagle three before then taking the match to the 33rd hole with an amazing hole in one at the 31st hole, which won the Dane a brand new LC5 Toyota Land Cruiser worth approximately £37,000.

Els though finally secured the win with a half at the 33rd hole.

Champion Els speaking after his win over Thomas Bjorn said: “It was a good match. Thomas was perhaps not quite up to his usual game, but that’s match play.”

Source – HSBC