Golf: Bjorn to be a winner

Thomas Bjorn said in March that he thought himself and Padraig Harrington had closed the gap on Europe’s ‘‘big three’’ of Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie.

Today at Wentworth they have the chance to prove it. Bjorn is taking on holder Westwood and Harrington is facing Clarke in the quarter-finals of the Cisco World Match Play championship.

The Dane was asked after his first round win over Australian Adam Scott whether he considered himself favourite against Westwood, a player he is now in front of in both the world rankings and Order of Merit.

Westwood, a seven-time winner last season, is still seeking his first title of 2001, but Bjorn said: ‘‘I am up against probably the best European player of the last three years.

‘‘Lee is a great player and we all know what he is capable of doing. I don’t have to kid myself.

‘‘He has not had the best of seasons, but I have the utmost respect for him.

"Making me favourite would be hard on him - I think it will be very close.’’

Harrington’s last clash with Clarke was in 1990 in the final of the Irish amateur championship.

‘‘It was Darren’s last day as an amateur. Three weeks earlier he beat me in the semi-finals of the South of Ireland and he beat me again by three and two,’’ said Harrington.

‘‘Hopefully I won’t be as intimidated by him as I was then.’’

Harrington’s confidence is high after thumping Nick Faldo nine and eight in the first round while third seed Clarke had the luxury of a day off like Westwood, Montgomerie and Vijay Singh.

Montgomerie, winner in 1999 and runner-up last year, now enters the fray against Ian Woosnam, while Singh is the formidable obstacle in the way of Sam Torrance.

Until Tuesday, European Ryder Cup captain Torrance thought his interest in the week would be confined to some television commentary and a few bets.

But then came the call to replace Canadian Mike Weir and then a three and two victory over Seve Ballesteros

‘‘And before you ask, no I didn’t bet on myself,’’ said the Scot.

He did not need to. Turning up was worth £50,000 and making it into the last eight added a further £15,000 to that.

More riches await this weekend the winner takes home £250,000 but Torrance admits: ‘‘I would definitely say I am the underdog and I will definitely have to step up a gear against Vijay.’’

Woosnam will be happy just to pick up where he left off against US Open champion Retief Goosen, whom he beat four and three.