Bjorn shoulders European hopes

IT WAS left to Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn to keep the European flag flying at the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth yesterday.

After crushing defeats for Alex Cejka and Fredrik Jacobson at the hands of Vijay Singh and Chad Campbell respectively, Bjorn came from three down to beat Len Mattiace in the contest between the two players who might so easily have won the British Open and Masters this year.

Bjorn, who lost to Ben Curtis at Sandwich after being three shots clear with only four holes to play, overcame Mattiace by a four and three margin and now meets Weir in the quarter-finals.