Golf: Els ends the week on a high note: South African takes World Match Play title from Colin Montgomerie, but victory is not enough to keep him in Europe next year

A WEEK is an extraordinarily long time in golf. Ernie Els was beaten by a Paraguayan in the Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews last week and yesterday he won the World Match Play Championship eight hours short of his 25th birthday. Els defeated Colin Montgomerie 4 and 2 in a final that always seemed to represent a match too far for the Scotsman.

Els won pounds 160,000 - the largest prize in Europe - but it is not enough to keep him here. The South African, who will join Nick Faldo on the US Tour next year, said: 'I think I can be more consistent in America. I've had great times in Europe, especially from the people in Britain who are so appreciative of golf. I'll miss the place.'

The European Tour will certainly miss Els, who last night dashed to Heathrow for a flight to South Africa, even though he was only a stand-by passenger.

'I'll travel with the luggage if I have to,' he said. Anything to declare?

Nothing except a large cheque, an even larger trophy and, of course, his genius. Els not only has a birthday to celebrate but a speech to prepare. He is best man at his sister's wedding next weekend.

His victory was the culmination of a remarkably successful season. 'I achieved all my goals and more,' he said. 'I wanted to be in contention in the majors, I won in Europe and I got my US Tour card.' The latter came courtesy of his triumph in the US Open in June when he defeated Montgomerie and the American Loren Roberts in a play-off.

'It's nice to know I beat some of the really great players this week,' Els said. As the No 3 seed, he had a bye in the first round, whereas Montgomerie, seeded five, did not. While Els enjoyed a practice round on Thursday, Montgomerie was involved in a protracted match, and although the Scotsman would not use it as an excuse, it seems unfair for one finalist to have played a longer competition.

'I don't feel tired at all,' Montgomerie said yesterday evening. Playing for the 10th week in a row, he certainly looked it. More to the point, Els was also aware he was up against a weary opponent. 'You could see it in his putting,' Els said.

Montgomerie never once led in the 36-hole final, and when he missed a three-foot putt at the ninth he was three down, going to the turn in 37 to 33. However, those scores were transposed over the back nine in the morning and Montgomerie was all square. 'Lunch didn't taste all that great,' Els said.

Montgomerie never had a chance to capitalise. At the first hole in the afternoon, Els hit a seven-iron approach to 12 feet and rolled in the putt for a three to regain the lead. The ninth, which had been cruel to Montgomerie in the morning - his three-foot miss cost him the hole - hurt him again the second time round. He had a 10-footer for a three and missed; Els holed from 15 feet to go two up. He also single-putted the 32nd and 33rd holes and Montgomerie conceded on the 34th.

'I never gave myself a chance on the greens,' Montgomerie, who won pounds 90,000, said. 'I kept leaving putts short and if you're never up in match play you don't deserve to win. He always gave himself a chance and that was the difference. It was a long day, a long week.

'I played four very difficult opponents, and when I look back I can say I was beaten by one of the great players. Ernie has a very old head on young shoulders and everybody who has played him and been beaten by him would say the same thing,' he said.

Montgomerie's older shoulders finally slumped in a final that was by no means a classic. If he had used up a lot of his powder in beating Nick Faldo in the second round, the same was probably true of Els who, at the same stage, overcame Seve Ballesteros in a match of epic proportions.

Els, at his first attempt, is the second-youngest winner of the championship. When Ballesteros won here in 1981, he was six months short of his 25th birthday. 'A fellow countryman of mine has won it five times and I have some catching up to do,' Els said, referring to Gary Player. 'I've still got a long way to go.'

Jose Maria Olazabal defeated Vijay Singh 2 and 1 in the 18-hole play-off for third place, winning pounds 60,000 to Singh's pounds 50,000. For all the world - or at least for a mention in dispatches - they whacked it around with the speed and aplomb of a couple of Burma Road veterans out for a Sunday afternoon constitutional. When Olazabal eagled the fourth he went two up and was never threatened.

(Photograph omitted)