‘I made a point this year that nobody is going to make a mistake there’, said Singh as he chases a target of 10 wins in the season, one of which could be through a victory in the HSBC Final over Els, if the seedings work out as planned.

That did not look the case early on as Els, up against the 2004 Volvo PGA Champion Scott Drummond, found himself 2 down. Only through Drummond making a hash of the 8th did an Els fight-back start, only to stop and then start.

A bogey at the 9th was not good enough and on the back nine, Els made four birdies, three of them for wins, but bogied the 15th and the 17th, the latter from possibly one of the longest and straightest drives seen on that infamous hole. The final result – Drummond 1 up at lunch.

Its been 6 years since the record for the biggest ‘up’ margin after the morning 18 was set, by Mark O’Meara in 1998 as the double major winner of that year was 10 up against a certain Vijay Singh (how things change).

Jeff Maggert has featured in the annals of Matchplay Championships success by winning the 1999 Accenture. This was a very different experience as round in an approximate 76 to a Goosen 65, the US visitor found himself 10 down and record equalling.

K J Choi and Angel Cabrera just get on with hitting the ball and making birdies and eagles and that they did in their first 18 as they chased the Els Drummond match around the West Course with the Argentinean going into lunch 1 up.

Padraig Harrington was another to include an eagle, or two, to go with a couple of birdies and only one dropped shot. The World No 7 was only 1 up though against a redoubtable Chris Riley, who perhaps has undergone a quick fitness routine to be able to play 36 in a day, after his tiredness at the Ryder Cup.

‘He has not given away anything and I think I am going to have to be more aggressive with my iron play’, said Harrington at lunch, expecting a long day.

Mike Weir vs. Thomas Levet, pitched the first of the left handers in the field against the exuberant Levet who has lived near London for the past four years, as is very happy doing so because of the tax implications and a lack of traffic – and he does use the M25. Neither player started well but a birdie eagle finish from the Canadian saw him lunch one up after an approximate 69.

Jimenez against Flesch introduce the US left hander to the London crowds and facing a pair of eagles from the 3 time European Tour winner, Flesch was able to produce a 69 of his own, to be only 2 holes down to Jimenez at a speedy lunch.

There were two match predicted to go the full distance and neither contest disappointed in both closeness or the battle that was going on to sometimes make the necessary scores.

Lee Westwood was to find out the matchplay qualities of the Open Champion Todd Hamilton needing to finish 3-3-4 against a par of 4-5-5 for a 1 up lead whilst Bernhard Langer did not drop a shot in matching Vijay Singh hole for hole as they prepared for a wet Thursday afternoon, and on to the next morning.

All of this was classic World Matchplay Golf, a high quality and some very close matches which would be won by the player with the mental edge on his opponent.

The afternoon saw the two South Africans making moves – Goosen to finish off Jeff Maggert by a new record margin of 12 & 11. This could havae been even higher but for Maggert responding to two birdies in a row from Goosen with two of his own.

Ernie Els just played very much better for the opening nine of the afternoon, going out in 30 to go 3 up. This fantastic scoring included an eagle at the 4th – only good enough for a half though as Drummond was retaining his assurity. The young Scot then made three at the par four 11th although a mistake at the 13th put the PGA champion in desperate trouble.

Els messed up the 15th for the second time then parred the 16th to be dormie. That was it though as a murky darkness had enveloped Wentworth. The remaining 6 matches would have to come back early on a predicted wet Friday –

Score

Cabrera 1 up on Choi – 3 to play

Harrington vs Riley – all square – 4 to play

Weir vs Levet – all square – 4 to play

Westwood 3 up on Hamilton – 7 to play

Jimenez and Flesch – all square 10 to play

Langer 2 up on Singh – 10 to play