GOLF/World Matchplay Championship: Thomas Bjorn, being a Dane, makes an unlikely home-town hero, but that was his allocated role in the first round of the HSBC World Matchplay Championship here yesterday.
Bjorn, who took an infamous five at the short 16th at Royal St George's this year to lose the British Open, is as a European Ryder Cup player and Wentworth Estate resident the next best thing to a British or Irish interest, and Bjorn embraced his favouritism enthusiastically.
Three down to Len Mattiace at lunch, he won six of the next nine holes for a 4 and 3 victory.
"I got some help from Len," said Bjorn, and indeed the American was six over par after lunch, equalling the record for the worst afternoon round in the history of the event.
Bjorn, in contrast, was two under in difficult, windy conditions and he credited his caddy, Billy Foster, and his sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout for his transformation.
"The three of us sat down and worked out that I had not been concentrating sufficiently on my own game."
As soon as he did that, he reversed the match momentum and his reward is a game today against the US Masters champion, Mike Weir.
It was not quite the "crucible of humiliation" that Chip Beck felt he had been put through by Seve Ballesteros when he lost by 9 and 8 in 1989, but Alex Cejka was suitably chastened after an 8 and 7 defeat by Vijay Singh - a salutary reminder that good little 'uns rarely beat good big 'uns.
Cejka looked a promising player when he first came to notice in 1995, when he won three tournaments, including the Volvo Masters. But a propensity for enjoying himself began to get in the way and only recently has he adopted the more monastic lifestyle to which professional golfers these days adhere.
He took the decision to play in America, finishing second at the qualifying school and graduating to the US Tour, where his application and dedication have earned him $1,182,883 this season.
Singh, second favourite to Ernie Els, never looked back from the time he chipped in from 30 feet at the first. He holed a 35-footer on the next, then Cejka three-putted the third and fifth to fall four down.
The gap reached five when Singh had his fourth birdie of the day on the long 12th, then six when Cejka could not match his opponent's two birdie fours to close the morning.
Singh suffered the heaviest-ever defeat in the tournament when he lost 11 and 10 to Mark O'Meara in 1998, and appeared on course to wipe that from the record books when he won the 20th - with a bogey.
Both missed the green at the hole still remembered for Isao Aoki's ace back in 1979, but the bunkered Cejka was still not on for two and ran up a five.
When Singh two-putted the long 22nd he was eight clear, and a really cruel blow came two holes later when he made a 33-footer and Cejka then missed from seven.
There was no way back from that.
"I was kind of worried about this match because I knew Alex was playing well," said the 1997 winner. "But I had a great start and didn't make too many mistakes.
"I said to myself 'Just do what you've been doing the last few months'."
Singh, for some reason he does not fully understand, is playing not just the most consistent golf of his life, but also the best. This normally reticent man has said repeatedly over the past six months that he is playing well, that he feels confident of winning, and yesterday he went even further.
He did not exactly say "move over Tiger, I'm coming through", but he did admit he wants to be world number one.
"That," he said, "is my goal. I feel like my game right now is as strong as it's ever been. I'm hitting the ball further than I've ever done in my life, I'm playing with a lot of energy in my game and if I play like I'm doing right now I'm going to contend for the number one spot."
But as Tony Greer, the man who administered the world rankings for years, pointed out: "It's theoretically possible, but Vijay would have to at least beat Tiger every time they played in the same event."
In fact Singh might be able to achieve this year's goal of moving ahead of Ernie Els to number two, but not this week. The two are due to meet in tomorrow's semi-final, but whatever the outcome it will have no effect on their respective positions. This tournament carries a €1.4 million first prize but, being unofficial, it is not worth a single world ranking point.
Guardian Service
FIRST ROUND
(seeded positions in brackets)
(8) Stephen Leaney (Aus) lost to (9) Tim Clark (Rsa) 3 and 2.
(5) Vijay Singh (Fij) bt (12) Alex Cejka (Ger) 8 and 7.
(6) Chad Campbell (US) bt (11) Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 6 and 5.
(7) Len Mattiace (US) lost to (10) Thomas Bjorn (Den) 4 and 3.
SECOND ROUND
(today)
7.45 and 12.10 Ernie Els v Clark
8.0 and 12.25 Shaun Micheel v Singh
8.15 and 12.40 Ben Curtis v Campbell
8.30 and 12.55 Mike Weir v Bjorn
