Monty loses again as Scots go out

On the day the tournament sponsors called an end to the Alfred Dunhill Cup after 16 years, Argentina and Wales remained surprise contenders to win the final event by coasting into the last four today while the Americans ended their losing streak by beating Japan.

On the day the tournament sponsors called an end to the Alfred Dunhill Cup after 16 years, Argentina and Wales remained surprise contenders to win the final event by coasting into the last four today while the Americans ended their losing streak by beating Japan.

Ian Woosnam beat Colin Montgomerie at the second extra hole as top seeded Scotland lost 3-0 to Wales while Argentina made up for Eduardo Romero's loss to Nick O'Hern by beating Australia 2-1.

The United States, already eliminated, avoided the humiliation of finishing last in its group for the second year in a row by downing Japan 2-1. Although John Daly lost to veteran Isao Aoki at the third hole of a playoff, Tom Lehman edged Tetsu Nishikawa by one after a 74 and Mize carded a 70 to crush Tsukasa Watanabe by six.

Having never won the title before, the Welsh and Argentines gained the last four at St. Andrews' Old Course on the day that the sponsors announced that Sunday's final would be the last.

The 1 million pound (dlrs 1.5 million) competition, first played in 1985 and once a magnet for the world's top-ranked players, is to be replaced by the dlrs 5 million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, a part pro-am, part team competition to start next year spread over three different courses.

The inaugural championship, which will count towards PGA European Tour prize money and also Ryder Cup points, will be staged October 18-21 next year at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns Golf Links, a short car ride from the Old Course, which will stage the final round. The competition will have a pro individual championship as well as a team event comprising one pro and one amateur.

Scotland needed to beat Wales 3-0 to stand any chance of staying alive on Saturday and Woosnam ended the home team's hopes.

After the two players had tied on 73 and parred the first, Monty bogeyed the second and Woosnam rolled in a short putt for par as the Welsh charged into the semifinal for the first time since 1991.

David Park returned a 70 to beat David Coltart by two and Phillip Price a 69 to down Gary Orr by three as the Welsh finished top of the group and faced a likely semifinal against two-time titlist South Africa.

In the battle at the top of Group 4, lefthanded Aussie Nick O'Hern carded a 3-under 69 to beat Romero by three even though the Argentine captain collected an eagle three at the 568-yard fifth for the second day in a row.

Angel Cabrera made 70 to beat Stephen Leaney by five while Jose Coceres scored a 2 stroke victory over Peter O'Malley after the Australian, one up with four to play, went double bogey, double bogey, bogey.

Defending titlist Spain and Sweden were in a decider for a place in the last four and Patrik Sjoland put the Swedes ahead with a 69 to edge Miguel Angel Martin by one.

Per-Ulrik Johansson was 1-up against Miguel Angel Jimenez with two to play and all square at the turn while Jose Maria Olazabal came back from four down going to the ninth to lead Mathias Gronberg by one after 16.

Also out on the course, the South Africans, who are aiming to win the championship for the third time in four years, were behind in two matches against New Zealand.

Retief Goosen trailed Greg Turner by two after 13 holes and David Frost was three behind Grand Waite after 12. Ernie Els was level with Michael Campbell also after 12.