Torrance strikes for old-timers

The prospect of tomorrow's final of the 38th Cisco World Match Play Championship being between the Ryder Cup captain and his vice-captain remained alive as Sam Torrance and Ian Woosnam struck two more blows for the old-timers by reaching the semi-finals yesterday. Torrance produced a remarkable upset by beating the world No 5 Vijay Singh by one hole, while Woosnam defeated Colin Montgomerie 4 and 3.

With Padraig Harrington beating Darren Clarke 5 and 4, three non-seeds have reached the semis. Ironically, the last time a non-seed won the event was in 1997 when Singh came through all four rounds to triumph. Lee Westwood was the only player who received a bye to win, defeating Thomas Bjorn at the last yesterday. This is the first time there has been an Englishman, a Scotsman, an Irishman and a Welshman in the last four.

Torrance was twice three-down against Singh, who had a run of five successive threes on the back nine in the morning. But the 48-year-old Torrance went one better with six in a row on the front nine after lunch as he went to the turn in 30.

His ball-striking is as fine as ever and now that the Ryder Cup has been postponed a year the Scot is free of the attendant distractions. He three-putted the 13th to fall one behind again but then hit a five-iron to 10 feet at the short 14th to square the match.

Singh went ahead again at the next but then Torrance holed from ten feet for a birdie at the 16th and a birdie-four at the 17th put him in front for the first time since the third hole in the morning. "I'm very proud of what I did today," Torrance, the oldest ever semi-finalist, said.

"That is as good a singles victory as I have ever had. I've got plenty of gas left in the tank and I'll be ready for tomorrow." Torrance changed his putting stance at lunchtime, without reference to his coach and father Bob. The phone line north of the border would have been busy anyway, as Harrington, Bob Torrance's latest star pupil, was seeking advice.

"It is tremendous what my dad has done for Padraig – he's now a world-class player," Sam said. "I just hope he hasn't told him all the secrets."

It was after a couple of tired swings with his driver on the 17th and 18th in the morning that Harrington got Bob to analyse on the video between rounds. "I phoned Bob and he was able to tell me I was a bit flat-footed," Harrington, who beat Nick Faldo 9 and 8 on Thursday, said.

"That sorted out my driving but affected my pitch shots. I didn't feel comfortable at two-up at lunch but when I went three-up I felt much better."

A run of five successive threes on the front nine effectively decided the match and gave Harrington revenge for losing to Clarke in the final of the Irish Closed Championship in 1990.

The 43-year-old Woosnam's routine between matches is simple: "More massage, more beer". After beating the US Open champion Retief Goosen on Thursday, Woosnam now plays Westwood, the defending champion. "I'll have another massage tonight and a few beers at the same time. I've got a long straw," Woosnam said. "I felt very tired this afternoon and lost a bit of rhythm because of that."

The winner in 1987 and 1990, Woosnam has not appeared in the semi-finals since 1992, when he lost to Jose Maria Olazabal. Woosie's approximate 65 in the morning put him three-up and despite not playing quite as well in the afternoon he was again able to get off the course three holes early. "I'm enjoying myself," he said. "I was very relaxed yesterday. I didn't feel under pressure because people didn't expect me to win and it will be the same tomorrow."

Having driven almost into the trees, it was a win against the head achieved by putting his second shot, a seven-iron from 178 yards, to six feet. A birdie at the last, to Bjorn's par after driving into a bunker, sealed the victory.

Westwood was never in front against Thomas Bjorn until the 36th hole. "That is the only time it matters," he said. The Dane was two-up at the interval but there was no more than a hole in it until Westwood won the 15th to square the match.

WORLD MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP Quarter-finals (Wentworth): L Westwood (Eng) bt T Bjorn (Den) by one hole; I Woosnam (Wal) bt C Montgomerie (Sco) 4 and 3; P Harrington (Ire) bt D Clarke (N Ire) 5 and 4; S Torrance (Sco) bt V Singh (Fiji) by one hole. Semi-finals: Westwood v Woosnam; Harrington v Torrance.