Record-breaking birthday present for Els

ERNIE ELS had a 35th birthday to remember forever at Wentworth yesterday.

A two and one victory over an under-the-weather Lee Westwood completed with a 20-foot birdie putt earned the defending champion another £1m - the biggest cheque in golf - but more importantly to him, a record-breaking sixth World Match Play title.

It was the perfect end to a week in which he also clinched the European tour Order of Merit for the second successive year and overtook Colin Montgomerie as the circuit’s leading money-winner in history with £15m.