Ernie Els in search for 3rd US Open

The U.S. Open has returned to a monstrous layout on the East Coast. Maybe it's time for Ernie Els to win another major.

The Big Easy is a two-time Open champion, capturing the 1994 title at Oakmont and repeating three years later at Congressional.

This week, Els is expected to contend again on the Black Course at Bethpage, which feels as if it stretches all the way to Manhattan with the breathtaking (literally) length of 7,214 yards -- the longest in the tournament's 102-year history.

``This one is playing really long, but I think Congressional was just as long,'' Els said. ``The rough was just as penal.''

Congressional was set up one yard shorter, but it's still the only other Open course to break the 7,200-yard barrier.

Oakmont wasn't quite as long (6,946 yards) but played just as tough with dense rough, an abundance of bunkers and greens so slick they actually had to let them grow a little when the Open came to town.

``All three of them are very similar,'' Els said. ``I would say this one, in a way, is a lot tougher. I just think the rough here this week is probably as bad as I've seen it in all my time playing U.S. Opens.''

While Els is a native of South Africa who lives in the Bahamas, he usually plays well when the Open heads north. In 1993, he tied for seventh in his debut at 7,152-yard Baltusrol in New Jersey. The following year, he beat Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie in an 18-hole playoff at Oakmont, the historic course in western Pennsylvania.

Els contended again in 1996 at Oakland Hills in Michigan, where he tied for fifth, three strokes behind winner Steve Jones. The next year, the South African was back on top in suburban Washington, besting Monty again by one stroke.

The lone exception was 1995, when Els struggled in defense of his first Open title at Shinnecock Hills, on eastern Long Island. He opened with an 83 and failed to make the cut.

``I like East Coast golf,'' Els said. ``I like the grasses they have up here. I like the poa annua greens. They are going to be pretty firm. You hit good shots into them, the ball will stop. I like putting on them. I like the pace of the greens. Ever since I played Baltusrol, I liked playing up here.''

Since Congressional, the tournament has moved to other parts of the country, going west (Olympic and Pebble Beach in California) and south (Pinehurst, N.C., and Southern Hills in Tulsa, Okla.).

Els hasn't played nearly as well except for 2000, when he tied for second at Pebble Beach. Even that result is a bit misleading -- he finished 15 strokes behind Tiger Woods.

Even so, Els has finished seventh or better in five of his nine U.S. Opens, making him one of the first players on any list of Woods' potential challengers.

The whole scenario is rather puzzling to Els, who doesn't think his game necessarily sets up well for the Open's traditional narrow fairways and tall grass.

``I can't really put my finger on it,'' he said. ``I'm not the straightest driver in the world and I'm not the longest. I don't hit every green like some of the other guys. Tiger hits 75 percent of the greens. I'm not up there.''

Numbers say otherwise. In both of his Open victories, he's ranked No. 1 in greens in regulation: 75 percent at Oakmont, 72.2 percent at Congressional. He's made the Open's top 10 in that category four other times.

``I guess I've got a way of getting the ball around and getting the ball in the hole,'' he said.

That sort of talk is typical of Els, whose nonchalant demeanor provided his nickname. But he's also quite capable of beating himself up when things don't go right, prompting him to call in a psychologist to cleanse those negative thoughts.

``Maybe the last couple of years I've been a little hard on myself,'' he said. ``I've played some good golf the last couple of years and haven't gotten anything for it in the majors.''

Beginning with the 2000 Masters, Els was the runner-up in three straight majors. He was sixth last year at Augusta National, placed third a few months later in the British Open, then was sixth at this year's Masters when he faded on the back nine Sunday.

He's played well this year, winning once each on the PGA Tour and the European Tour. In the biggest events, he seems to take his game to an even higher level.

``In my way, I stride a little harder and there's a bit more emphasis on playing the majors well,'' Els said. ``I just feel my concentration level goes up a little bit. I know everybody else is going to have a tough time, so it almost makes me feel a little better.''