Immelman reaches last four with victory over Rose

MARANA, Arizona, Feb 24 (Reuters) South African Trevor Immelman today booked his place in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship semi-finals with a 5&4 win against Britain's Justin Rose.

In red-hot form with his putter, Immelman never looked back after losing the opening hole and sealed victory with a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-three 14th.

''I'm really happy to play that way,'' the 27-year-old South African told reporters after reaching the last four for the first time.

Holder Geoff Ogilvy of Australia was in control of his quarter-final against Britain Paul Casey, moving four up after 13 holes on a cool, clear day at Dove Mountain's Gallery Golf Club.

In the other matches, Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern was one up against Swede Henrik Stenson after 16 holes while Canadian Stephen Ames trailed American Chad Campbell by one, after 14.

Immelman, who had not gone beyond the second round in his previous three appearances at the event, dominated against Rose after his three-putt par at the first was trumped by the Englishman's birdie.

The South African hit a superb approach to within four feet of the flag at the par-four second, rolling in the birdie putt to level the match.

He sank a 29-footer at the fifth to go one up and boosted by four birdies in a row from the seventh, was three up after 10 holes.

TIGHTENED GRIP Although Immelman lost the 11th to a Rose birdie, he tightened his grip by winning the 12th and 13th before sealing victory on the 14th green.

Ogilvy, in the bottom match, took advantage of some erratic driving by Casey to forge three ahead after seven holes.

Casey hooked his tee shot into desert scrub before losing the par-four fourth, trailed by two after Ogilvy birdied the fifth and also lost the sixth after again driving into the Arizona desert.

Although Casey claimed the par-three eighth, where Ogilvy missed the green to the right off the tee, he immediately gave it back after taking two shots to escape from a greenside bunker at the ninth.

O'Hern went two up against Stenson after holing an eight-foot birdie putt at the third and eagling the par-four seventh with a 295-yard drive to five feet from the flag.

Stenson hit back at the ninth, rolling in a 25-foot birdie putt, and trailed by one with two to play.

Ames struggled early on against Campbell, bogeying the par-three third after failing to reach the green off the tee and also the fourth, where he three-putted.

Although he levelled the match by sinking a 10-footer to birdie the fifth, he again trailed by one after taking two shots to get out of the left greenside bunker at the par-four seventh.

REUTERS SBA RN0233