A year which Colin Montgomerie hopes and prays will finally bring him his first major title has begun with him in Arizona trying to win $1 million for two days' work. To land one of the two biggest prizes in golf, though, Montgomerie first has to beat South African Ernie Els, the man who has twice denied him the US Open.

The pair clash in today's semifinals of the Andersen Consulting World Matchplay Championship, with the winner then facing either US PGA champion Davis Love or Japanese outsider Hajime Meshiai in tomorrow's final.

Montgomerie qualified for the final four by winning the European qualifier last May, defeating Jose Maria Olazabal, Sam Torrance and Costantino Rocca.

That guaranteed him $200,000 but just by beating Els he will be sure of $500,000 and then comes the chance to double his money.

The Scot's performance at The Buckinghamshire kick-started what until then had been a disappointing season and he went on, of course, to be crowned Europe's number one for a record fifth successive time.

But still he did not take a major, Els beating him by one shot in Washington to bring back memories of Montgomerie's play-off defeat in Pittsburgh three years earlier.

The two met again during the Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews in October and the match ended all square. They did not have to go to extra holes because South Africa had qualified for the semifinals.

"We'll carry this one on to Phoenix," said Els then. Now the time has come.

Montgomerie commented: "We both respect each other highly and it should be a very good game. Every game we seem to play is quite close.

"We both birdied 18 at St Andrews. I followed him in from 20 feet and that was important psychologically, I think."

Berkshire's Barry Lane was the inaugural winner of the Andersen Consulting event two years ago, but has not won a title since. Torrance finished fourth out of four last January and went through the season without a victory.

Montgomerie is looking for 1998 to be the best year of his golfing life, though. While remaining a member of the European Tour, he plans more events in America, believing that can enable him to accomplish his dream of a major.

He is 35 in June - not old in golfing terms by any means, but he is entering his 11th full year on the circuit and the longer he has to wait now, the harder it will get.