Todd Hamilton of the United States and David Smail of New Zealand beat two opponents each Saturday to advance to the 36-hole final of the Japan PGA Matchplay Championship.
Hamilton defeated Toru Taniguchi, who was runnerup here in 1999 and 2000, 5 and 3 in the quarterfinals and Hirofumi Miyase 1-up in the semifinals while Smail downed Hiroyuki Fujita 2 and 1 and Tetsuji Hiratsuka 4 and 3.
It is the first time since the 2001 match-up between Dean Wilson of the U.S. and Taiwan's Lin Keng-chi that two non-Japanese players will face each other in the final.
Shiotani stretches lead
KAWAGUCHIKO, Yamanashi Pref. (Kyodo) Overnight leader Ikuyo Shiotani birdied the final two holes for a 3-under-par 68 Saturday for a 36-hole total of 8-under 134 and stretched her sole lead to three strokes going into the final round of the Fujisankei Ladies Classic.
South Korean Ko Woo Soon scattered four birdies and a bogey over the 6,323-yard, par-71 course for a 68 and shares second place with Toshimi Kimura (68) at 137.