The Cisco World Match Play Championship is poised to finish on a Monday for only the fifth time in 37 years following a day of torrential rain at Wentworth Club which restricted the semi-final matches to 14 and 12 holes respectively.
After a six and a half hour delay to the original starting times, Colin Montgomerie and Vijay Singh eventually teed off at 3.45pm after the Wentworth greenkeeping staff had made a superb effort to get the West Course playable after the deluge.
Montgomerie, as he had done the previous day against Padraig Harrington, made a fast start in the damp conditions and was six under par when bad light forced the suspension of the match on the 14th green.
Meanwhile Ernie Els from South Africa was one up on Lee Westwood after 12 holes thanks to back to back birdies at the 11th and 12th. Both ties will resume at 8am in the morning.
The plans thereafter are to complete the second 18 holes of the semi-finals and play the first round of the final in the afternoon, with the concluding round of the final scheduled for Monday morning.
The previous occasions that Monday was required came in 1978, 1980, 1987 and 1988 and it spoke volumes for the commitment of the patient supporters that they stayed around to watch some brilliant golf.
Montgomerie, the No.1 seed, said: “It was a very long day and I was delighted to start. I had seven birdies out there and missed two putts at the 13th and 14th that could have gone in so I’m happy with the position.”
Singh commented: “It was a little bit tough and I spent a lot of the day watching my little boy playing cards. Colin made a lot of birdies but I expected that. There are a lot of holes left so there is no need to get anxious.”
Westwood said: “The course played so long because there was so much moisture in the air. I knocked it inside 15 feet at nearly every hole so I’m happy with the way I played tee to green. I just need the greens to dry out.”
