Els closes on back-to-back wins

ERNIE Els was well on course for a second straight PGA Tour win as he led by two shots from American Chris Couch at the midway stage in the Arnold Palmer Invitational final round yesterday.

South African Els completed the front nine in style, chipping in for a birdie from 53 yards to make up for a bogey on the eighth.

Couch, whose solitary tour win came almost four years ago, kept himself in the fight, however, as he covered the front nine in three- under. Six players were tied in third, five shots back, as Els made the turn, including Italian Edoardo Molinari, Japan's Ryuji Imada and South African Retief Goosen.

Els, winner of the WGC-CA Championship at Doral earlier in the month, had gone into the final round leading by one stroke after shooting a three-under 69 on Saturday to close on ten-under 206. American Ben Curtis (70), who had been bogey-free for 31 holes, finally succumbed on the 16th and 17th holes of the third round to surrender the lead. Couch (69) was third, three shots behind Els.

After the third round Els, who won at Bay Hill 12 years ago, said "I felt comfortable from tee to green. I felt I struck the ball very nicely and my driving was a lot better."

Colin Montgomerie closed with a 79 – his worst round of the week by far – to finish on five-over.