BBC SPORT | Golf | Faldo keeps hopes alive

England's Nick Faldo in action at Wentworth

Nobody tried harder than Faldo on Thursday

Forty-two holes were not enough to separate Nick Faldo and Michael Campbell on a remarkable first day at Wentworth.

Faldo took the match to sudden death by winning the last two holes.

Both he and Campbell then watched winning putts slip by in the six extra holes that were possible before bad light intervened.

Watch day one highlights

Earlier on, Padraig Harrington completed a relatively straightforward victory over Michael Weir.

Colin Montgomerie was another to win his match with something to spare, beating Fred Funk.

But Vijay Singh was taken to the wire by Justin Rose before claiming a one hole triumph.

All the first-round action as it happened

Harrington was Thursday's first winner, when he closed out a 4&3 victory over the left-handed Weir.

The pair had been all square after a scrappy first 18 holes, but the in-form Dubliner came out stronger after the lunch break to completely outplay the Canadian in the afternoon.

Harrington plays Spain's Sergio Garcia in Friday's second round.

Match report

Harrington was quickly joined in Friday's second round by Montgomerie, his Ryder Cup team-mate.

Scotland's Colin Montgomerie was too good for Fred Funk
Montgomerie resisted the Funk revival
The Wentworth-based Scot continued his fine recent matchplay form with a comfortable 3&2 win over Funk.

The veteran American had briefly threatened an upset when he won three holes in four around the half-way stage, but former European number one was able to raise his game when required.

Montgomerie now meets Ernie Els in the second round.

Match report

The third man to progress to the quarter-final stage was Fiji's Vijay Singh.

The Pacific Islander was forced to sweat, though, as tournament debutant Rose missed a short putt at the death to take the match to extra holes.

Singh was never behind, and Rose did not win a hole until the 21st, but the 22-year-old Englishman battled until the last.

Singh, ranked eighth in the world, now plays South Africa's Retief Goosen for a place in the last four.

Match report

The first match out, Faldo against Campbell, simply ran out of daylight as neither man gave an inch.

The Englishman settled first but Campbell's more attacking play started to bear fruit when he took a lead for the first time at the ninth hole.

It was lead he would not relinquish. But he could not finish Faldo off, and a superb final stretch from the six-time Major winner resulted in the match going to sudden death.

But after six extra holes the pair were still level, and they must now continue the play-off on Friday morning.

Defending champion Ian Woosnam awaits the winner.

Match report


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