Els tips Garcia to take Grand Slam

WHATEVER disappointment Sergio Garcia felt at losing the Cisco World Match Play final was eased by the words of his conqueror afterwards.

Ernie Els beat Garcia two and one to complete his fourth win in the event one short of the record of Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros.

But he then said the 22-year-old Spaniard was good enough to become only the sixth player in golf history to win a career Grand Slam.

Els, halfway to the same target after his victory in the Open in July, commented: "In 10 years' time, I expect Sergio to be close. He has so much talent.

"Fortunately or unfortunately whichever way you look at it he is playing in the Tiger era, but he is very capable of doing that," he said.

Garcia was the only player this season to finish in the top 10 in all four majors, but to win all four would

put him in an elite club whose only members are Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Player and Woods.

While the Masters and the US PGA have become Els's goals to complete his set, he is also keen to join Player and Ballesteros as a five-time winner of the Match Play.

"That became a target when I won for the third time in 1996," he said.

"It seemed quite easy, but then I lost the final to Vijay Singh the following year and I struggled. This year, though, I felt comfortable."

He was never behind in any of his three games, and against Colin Montgomerie in the quarter-finals, set a new championship record round of 60.

Garcia was fighting an uphill battle from when Els went to the turn in 30 again in the first round of the final.

The South African was five-up after 12 and three-up with six to play, and survived a wobble as Garcia folded meekly by going into the trees at the 34th and 35th holes.

Garcia said: "I thought I could come back, but it was great fun out there and played in the right spirit.

"Ernie is a wonderful guy, we had some laughs and Ernie was the guy who played the best."

Forty next June, Montgomerie said: "Very few players get better in their 40s, very few.

"If I can stay in the top 15 in the world (he is currently 14th), or even get back into the top 10, I'd be thrilled," he said.