Golf: South Africa win fourth World Cup title

The South African pair of Ernie Els and Retief Goosen have won the EMC golfing World Cup in Japan after a stunning play-off.

Four teams were tied for first place at the end of play at the Taiheiyo Club with South Africa eventually eclipsing Denmark, New Zealand and the defending champions the United States.

Four teams were tied on 24-under-par with South Africa and the US both having to make eagles on the last hole in order to join the play-off.

The two teams who had done most of the front running in the first three rounds, New Zealand and the US, were both eliminated on the first hole of the play-off leaving it to the Danes and South Africans to battle it out.

The Danish team of Thomas Björn and Søren Hansen can think themselves unfortunate not to win the €1,119,190 first prize after they shot the best foursomes round of the week, a seven-under-par 65.

South Africa joined them soon afterward, despite bogeying the 17th hole, they produced an eagle on the eighteenth to join the clubhouse leaders.

The US appeared to be out of the running with four holes left but a run of three birdies and a final hole eagle from Tiger Woods and David Duval put them back into contention.

New Zealand needed a birdie on the final hole to win outright but the best Michael Campbell and David Smail could manage was a par five.

In the first play-off hole, New Zealand and the US could only par while the other two teams birdied.

On the second hole of the play-off a bogey five from Denmark meant that the par from the South Africans won the pair the title. The win is the crowning achievement of what has been a fantastic year for Retief Goosen.

The South African picked up his fourth win of the year, which includes the US Open title, was also the leading player on the European tour for this season.

The Irish pair of Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, who won this title several years ago, finished a disappointing joint 14th with Australia after shooting a one-under-par, 71, on their final day.