Kim plays Allenby in semifinal

CASARES, Spain – Anthony Kim advanced to the semifinals of the World Match Play Championship against Robert Allenby, despite losing to Scott Strange by three holes on Friday.

Strange needed to beat Kim by at least four holes to advance and was 4 up going into the 568-yard par-5 18th when the American player responded by hitting his second shot to within four feet. Strange, who had laid up on his second shot, put his approach into the bunker before eventually conceding the hole to Kim.

Kim finished with an aggregate of plus-4 holes to Strange’s plus-3 after three Group A matches.

“I’m glad that this point system was set up, today,” said Kim, who struck his 3-wood 274 yards at the last. “When Scott laid up, I knew that I had to step up and go for it and it was the perfect number. I hit it hard as I could and it was (within) four feet.”

Masters champion Angel Cabrera also reached the semifinals after beating Simon Dyson of England by seven holes in Group C. The Argentine, who lost to Ernie Els in last year’s final, will play Ross Fisher in Saturday’s other 36-hole matchup after the Englishman beat Jeev Milkha Singh by one hole.                                (AP)