Golf News: - Posted 21st May 1998

Els has burglary shock

Wentworth, Surrey - Ernie Els, back as golf's world number one, goes into tomorrow's £1.2 million Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth having just discovered he is the victim of a burglary.

Three months after Colin Montgomerie had £250,000 worth of jewellery stolen, thieves broke into Els' home in George, South Africa and then got away in his Range Rover.

Their escape ended, however, with the vehicle crashing and Els said today: "They flipped it over on a straight road and one
of the guys was killed and another paralysed.

"A third ran away but the police found him and some of the stuff that was taken. There was nothing of any great value or significance."

His US Open trophy had been in the house at the time. "It's very sad because I moved there for piece and quiet and
safety away from the big city.

"I've just put in new security gates and jacked up the security, but it's happening to everybody back home now they've all had
something happen to them.

"It's not a high crime area but any town has guys getting up to nonsense. I love the place too much to move but if it happens
again I might have to think about it."

Els will attempt to put the upsetting incident out of his mind for the next four days and turn his attention back to golf. It may not be easy for him to click back into top form, however, because he is recovering from a shoulder problem and is suffering from jet lag.

He does not have the luxury of a lie-in tomorrow either, teeing off in the first round at 8.10am with Montgomerie and Italian
Costantino Rocca.

Els has won three World Matchplay titles on the West Course and has twice finished second in the Volvo PGA, which this year offers record prize money of £200,000.

Montgomerie has had a series of near-misses at the HQ of the European Tour, most notably a play-off defeat to Seve Ballesteros in 1991 and a final loss to Els in the 1994 World Matchplay.

That was the year he also lost a play-off to Els in the US Open and the South African won his second major last June by beating Montgomerie by a stroke in Washington.

"Ernie told me at the start of the year that there were two people he wanted to beat me and Tiger Woods," said the Scot.
"I am of a similar view. I want to beat Ernie, Tiger and Davis Love. With Greg Norman injured they are the three players ahead
of me in the world rankings.

"I spent all of 1996 as number two to Norman and I want to get to number one. It's realistic if I get on a good run, which I've
probably got to pop in a major to achieve it."

Last week Montgomerie was out-gunned by Ryder Cup partner Darren Clarke in the Benson and Hedges International Open and described his final-round putting as the worst he could remember when in contention.

"I've changed to a heavier putter and I'm swinging it longer,"said the Scot, who knows that if he wins on Monday he might yet
go on to win the Order of Merit for an incredible sixth successive time.

Els, who earlier this month proposed to his long-time girlfriend Liezl (they are to marry at the start of next year), currently
lies second just behind Jose Maria Olazabal.

"I'll see how it goes this week, at the Irish Open and then at the Open," said Els. "If I have a chance to win the money list
I would love to play another tournament and have a run at it."

Clarke quit practising after 10 holes today because he was not hitting the ball as he wanted, but Montgomerie expects him to
do well again over the next four days.

The Ulsterman said: "I'm still swinging the club well and this is one of my favourites courses." He was runner-up to Ian Woosnam a year ago.

"Seeing Lee (Westwood) doing so well has given me an extra spur and playing well last year gives me extra confidence."

Press Association