BBC SPORT | Golf | Garcia no match for Els

Ernie Els hung on to defeat Sergio Garcia 2&1 and collect his fourth World Match Play title at Wentworth.

Watch World Match Play final highlights

The South African dominated the morning session but he had to hold off a fightback from Garcia in the afternoon round to take the �250,000 top prize.

All the action as it happened

Despite some fine approach play, Els was unable to find the sort of scoring that saw off Colin Montgomerie 6&5 in the quarter-finals on Friday when he carded a round of 60.

"I wasn't putting well. I guess I made all my putts against Colin," said Els, who has a house on the famous West Course.

Ernie was the guy who played the best out there today and deserved to be the winner

Sergio Garcia

"It's really become home. I've always watched this tournament since I was a kid. So to win it a few times is wonderful."

The 2002 Open champion paid tribute to his lively opponent, who was appearing in his first World Match Play final.

"He was great, he always keeps it interesting," Els added. "He's so talented. Sergio just keeps battling.

"In the afternoon Sergio came out really well and he could have birdied the first four holes but he missed a few putts and gave me some breathing space,"

Despite slipping to defeat, Garcia admitted he enjoyed battling it out with his close friend.

"It was great fun out there today and played in the right spirit," he said.

"Ernie is a wonderful guy and we had fun, we had some laughs and it really was a great match.

"Ernie was the guy who played the best out there today and deserved to be the winner."

Els came out firing over the first 18 holes, carding a seven under par 65 to Garcia's 68.

The winner in 1994, 1995 and 1996 lost just one of the first 14 holes - an eagle by Garcia at the par five fourth.

At one stage Els, who never trailed during the event, led by five before some impressive iron work and putting by Garcia got him back to within three holes going into lunch.

Sergio Garcia
Garcia came off second best against Els

Garcia narrowed the deficit to two holes with a birdie at the difficult first hole of the afternoon round.

And when he put his second shot to within inches of the flag on the sixth hole the gap was just one hole.

But Els responded immediately by winning the seventh with a glorious approach shot as Garcia found the trees with his tee-shot.

The world number three then holed from 30 feet for a birdie at the 10th to restore his three-hole cushion.

Garcia was making life difficult for himself with some wayward driving.

But after Els missed an eagle putt to win the 12th and then lost the 13th after twice finding sand, Garcia was able to claw back to within two holes.

Garcia then took the 14th, leaving him just one hole down with four to play.

But the 22-year-old Spaniard made the fatal error of driving into the trees at the 16th, and when he also found trouble at the 17th he was forced to call it a day.

Wentworth final in pictures


	Links to more Golf stories