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Els hoping to return
to early season form
Ernie Els will be hoping to erase the memory of a disappointing finish last
week when he travels to Texas for this week’s Shell Houston Open on the US
PGA Tour.
Els squandered a two-shot lead on the back nine in last week’s MCI Heritage
Classic, closing with a double bogey and two bogeys in his final three holes.
The big South African admitted on his official website, ernieels.com, that
the memory of that collapse was still fresh in his mind.
“I’m really sick about not being able to finish the job on Sunday.
The way that tournament finished really hurt,” Els said.
“On the plus side, my game feels in good shape. I’m driving the ball
well, hitting my irons solid and, having worked hard on my chipping in the last
couple of months, that side of my game has come good, too. I’m just easing
my right knee into the shot as I strike the ball and it’s got my timing really
sweet.
“The only aspect of my game that I’m not totally happy with is my
putting. I want to get back to making a slightly smoother, more flowing stroke.
I feel like it’s been a little bit short and sharp these past couple of weeks.
So that’s something for me to work on.” Els said he was originally scheduled
to take some time off this week, but instead decided to play in the Shell Houston
Open.
“I was scheduled to take a couple of weeks off and head back to England
for a break, but the wrist injury at the start of this month has put a different
spin on events. I’ve worked so hard since then to get my game back in shape,
the last thing I want to do is take time off and have to try to get my game back
again when I return. I’m playing well and I’m not ready for time off
just yet.
”I’m really keen to finish the job if I get into the frame come Sunday
afternoon. I got into the winning habit at the start of this year and it felt
good. Okay, so I let a couple of tournaments slip through my fingers - I must
admit, Dubai hurt a bit - but you can’t win them all. All I know is I want
to get back that winning feeling.
”I feel pretty confident. I obviously had some negative thoughts leaving
Hilton Head on Sunday evening. That’s not surprising, seeing as the way the
tournament ended for me. But at the same time you have to take away a lot of positives
from a week like that.”
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