Cabrera first into quarter-finals

Angel Cabrera thrashed Retief Goosen to be the first player into the quarter-finals at the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth today.

But the six and five victory by the current US Open champion over the twice US Open champion did not look like being the biggest win of the day.

That was because six-time winner Ernie Els was already six up on Colin Montgomerie after only 24 of the 36 holes.

Open champion Padraig Harrington and world number 11 Justin Rose were in severe danger of going out as well.

Harrington trailed by three with nine to play against Dane Anders Hansen, winner of the BMW PGA title on the course in May, while Rose was three down and had only seven holes remaining in his clash with American Hunter Mahan.

Defending champion Paul Casey, however, was four up with five to go on American Jerry Kelly and Denmark's Soren Hansen three up on South African Rory Sabbatini after 29 holes.

There were some games heading for close finishes. Henrik Stenson, five up at one point, was only one ahead of American Woody Austin after 26 and fellow Swede Niclas Fasth stood level with Argentina's Andres Romero after 26.