Ernie Els is one win away from a magnificent seventh World Match Play title at Wentworth — and yet another €1.4 million pay-day.

The 37-year-old second seed, already with more titles to his name than anybody in the tournament's history, came from behind on four separate occasions to beat Swede Henrik Stenson three and two.

In the other semi-final US Open champion Angel Cabrera overcame American Hunter Mahan two and one — and that means that Els will spend Sunday taking on the Argentinian before dashing over to Paris to see the Springboks face Argentina in the Rugby World Cup semi-final.

"I ground it out," he said. "But Angel is going to be tough."

He won on his first three appearances in 1994-96 and then had another hat-trick from 2002-04.

Cabrera, though, is a brilliant 32 under just for this week, having added Mahan's scalp to those of Retief Goosen and defending champion Paul Casey.

And he too considers the West Course among his happiest hunting grounds. He won Europe's PGA Championship in 2005 after two previous runners-up finishes in the tournament.

"I am very happy to be in the final," said Cabrera. "I have been hitting the ball very well, especially in the Presidents Cup two weeks ago, and I had very high confidence coming here."

Regardless of the result of the final, Els will move ahead of Padraig Harrington at the top of the European Order of Merit. But he is not playing any of the remaining three events.

Victory over Cabrera would also take him back above Colin Montgomerie as the biggest money-winner in European Tour history.

Stenson led for most of the first round, but never by more than one. Els had only himself to blame for that, three-putting the second and missing a whole host of chances.

The first decent putt Els made was an 18-footer on the 11th, but it was only for a half as his opponent had already pitched to four feet.

Els had to wait until a conceded eagle at the next for his first success, but promptly fell behind again, as he did after levelling on the 15th and 17th.

Before setting off again he said the keys were to "tidy it up and make some putts". And that he most certainly did. A 15-footer squared things up again straight away and what appeared to be the crucial stretch began when Stenson three-putted the seventh. Els was ahead for the first time and promptly hit a wedge to four feet and then a six-iron almost as close.

Stenson took the next, but Els saved halves with some crucial putts over the next four holes and Stenson's bogey on the 33rd left him three down again.

Cabrera led from the moment Mahan bogeyed the third. After putts of 14 and 27 feet he was three in front by the turn and although the Californian came back at him with birdies on the 10th and 15th, Cabrera had two-putted the long 12th for another win and was conceded an eagle on the last after a glorious three-wood
approach to within five feet of the flag.

Round in 66, the South American was already 26 under for the week, but after moving six clear early in the second round he could do nothing about Mahan cutting the difference back to two with four birdies in the next six holes.

Cabrera won the 29th, though, and Mahan ran out of holes after that.