Els wins record sixth Match play title on birthday

VIRGINIA WATER, England -- On his 35th birthday, Ernie Els received a familiar present -- a World Match Play title. And he just might have his 96-year-old grandfather to thank.\nEls won the tournament for a record sixth time, beating Lee Westwood 2 and 1 Sunday to capture golf's biggest payday -- $1.8 million.\nThe South African completed his victory with a 20-foot birdie putt at the 17th hole. This was the third straight time he won the event, matching his three titles from 1994-1996. It was his first victory over Westwood in three matches in the championship.\n"It's a brilliant feeling," he said. "It's been a great run, hasn't it?"\nEls got some shrewd advice along the way. He took a phone call from his elderly grandfather -- like the golfer, formally called Theodore Ernest Els -- who suggested he keep his head still while putting.\n"The older he gets the harder he gets," Els said. "He was giving me a lot of grief about my putting. I hope he's happy now. At least I holed one good putt."\nWestwood, the 2000 champion who won $720,000 as runner-up, looked set to take the match. The Englishman was on the green at the par-5 571-yard 17th in two with Els short and in heavy rough. Els chipped on 20 feet short while Westwood got down in two putts for his birdie. He then watched as Els, reading his putt perfectly, curled it slightly left to right into the hole.\n"I wasn't surprised," Westwood said. "I know Ernie's a great putter. He's a great champion."\nEls' sixth title broke the record he had shared with Gary Player, who won five times between 1965 and 1973, and Seve Ballesteros, whose successes came from 1981 to 1991.