Love to face Oglivy

Davis Love III reached the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship final for the second time in three years with a 4&2 victory over fellow American Zach Johnson on Saturday. Moments later, Australia's Geoff Ogilvy triumphed 4&3 against U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman.

Love, who spectacularly holed out with a wedge to eagle the last and beat Ireland's Padraig Harrington one up in the morning's quarter-finals, sealed the win when neither player could birdie the par-three 16th.

"I hit the ball pretty well all day and I've hit a lot of good pitching wedges so far this week that have given me birdie chances," 1997 U.S. PGA Championship winner Love told reporters.

"Tomorrow will be another long day. Geoff looks like he's been whipping up on people pretty good.

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"I don't take anybody lightly and matchplay is a funny game," added the 41-year-old American, who has not won on the PGA Tour since the 2003 International.

"But I'm certainly older and more experienced."

Love, beaten 3&2 by Tiger Woods in the 2004 final, took early charge against Johnson with four birdies on the front nine.

GOLF 2006 WGC-Accenture championship Love III Johnson

Image credit: Reuters

Although Johnson birdied the second and third, he found water with his second shot at the par-five eighth before running up a regulation par.

Love holed a 13-foot birdie there to forge one ahead.

The world number 28 then coolly rolled in a 16-footer for birdie at the par-four ninth to double his lead.

A superb approach to seven feet at the par-four 13th earned Love his fifth birdie of the round and he then coaxed in a 23-footer at the par-four 14th to go four up.

CLINCHED VICTORY

Although Love failed to match Johnson's birdie at the par-four 15th, he clinched victory at the following hole.

Love was the highest-ranked player to reach the last four, following the third-round exits on Friday of holder David Toms, Woods, Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh.

Ogilvy, bidding to become the second Australian to claim an individual World Golf Championships (WGC) title after 2002 NEC-Invitational champion Craig Parry, produced sparkling approach play in the afternoon.

GOLF 2006 WGC-Accenture championship Oglivy

Image credit: Reuters

He hit his approach to seven feet at the par-four fourth, struck his tee shot to within three feet of the cup a the par-three fifth and stretched three ahead when Lehman three-putted for bogey at the par-four sixth.

Lehman, who edged out compatriot Chad Campbell at the 21st hole of their quarter-final earlier on Saturday, then bogeyed the ninth after missing the green to the left with his approach to trail by four.

GOLF 2006 WGC-Accenture championship Lehmann

Image credit: Reuters

However, Lehman then rallied. He won the par-three 12th hole, where his tee shot ended up within three feet of the flag, and sank a five-footer for birdie at the next hole to trim the deficit to two.

Ogilvy, who qualified for the 64-strong field at La Costa by winning his maiden PGA Tour title at the Tucson Classic 12 months ago, immediately countered with a 19-foot birdie putt on 14 before wrapping up victory on 15.

"I played the best I have played all week today, and I played really well this afternoon," said world number 53 Ogilvy, whose first four matches this week spanned 80 holes.

"Davis is one of the best players in the world and has been for 15 years, or the best part of. But anyone who wins five matches is playing pretty well," added the 28-year-old, who qualified for the PGA Tour at the 2000 qualifying school.

"I didn't really expect to be in the final but I always knew I had it in me. I feel like I've been a better player every year that I've been out here."

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