Els Reaches Match Play Semifinals

Ernie Els scored victories over Scott Drummond and Angel Cabrera on Friday at Virginia Water, England, to move into the semifinals of the World Match Play Championship and stay on course for a record sixth title.

Els defeated Drummond, 2 and 1, in a first-round match that was completed early Friday. He then defeated Cabrera, 1-up, in the quarterfinals.

Padraig Harrington edged Thomas Levet, 1-up, in another quarterfinal, and Lee Westwood defeated Retief Goosen, 2 and 1. The fourth quarterfinal was halted by darkness with Miguel Angel Jimenez leading Bernhard Langer, 3-up, after 28 holes of the 36-hole match.

The day’s big upset came when Langer beat the world’s top-ranked player, Vijay Singh, on the first playoff hole of their first-round match, also halted Thursday evening by darkness.

Today’s semifinals at Wentworth Club will match Els against Harrington, and Jimenez or Langer against Westwood.

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Brent Geiberger shot a bogey-free 67 in the second round of the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, N.C., and his 11-under-par 133 total was one shot better than 2001 PGA champion David Toms (65), Tom Pernice Jr. (68) and Jeff Brehaut (66).

At 144th on the money list, Geiberger needs a good week to avoid returning to qualifying school for the first time since 1996. His lone PGA title came at Hartford in 1999.

Jerry Kelly (65) joined first-round leader Jason Dufner (70), Joe Ogilvie (67), Tom Lehman (66) and Bo Van Pelt (69) in a group two shots back.

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Tom Kite’s opening round in the SBC Championship at San Antonio didn’t look like much at the turn. Nine holes later, he was tied for the lead.

Kite, even after the front nine, made five birdies over his next seven holes and went on to a five-under 66 that left him in a tie with playing partner Tom Jenkins, Dave Stockton and James Mason. Jim Thorpe and Mark McNulty were one shot back.

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Tiger Woods has decided to skip next week’s Funai Classic at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., for the first time since turning professional in 1996.

Disney officials said Woods did not meet the deadline for entering the tournament.

He has been sailing in the Caribbean since his marriage to Elin Nordegren Oct. 5 in Barbados. Disney and the Tour Championship are the only PGA Tour events Woods had played every year since 1996, when he turned pro after winning his third consecutive U.S. Amateur title.

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Bobby Rahal, Parnelli Jones, Chris McCarron, Kent Desormeaux, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Elgin Baylor, Craig T. Nelson, James Sikking, Tom Dreesen and Arte Johnson are among the celebrities expected to play in the sixth Jim Murray Memorial Foundation golf tournament Monday at Wilshire Country Club. Rahal, winner of the 1986 Indianapolis 500, will receive the foundation’s “Great Ones” award. Details: (310) 476-8948.