Els excels again in Australia

South African Ernie Els, fully recharged after a one
week break from the game, fired a brilliant eight-under-par 64 to take the first round lead in the Johnnie Walker Classic.

The world number two, who has won four out of his last five events, played some of his best ever golf this year to lead by a stroke from Englishman
David Lynn at Lake Karrinyup Country Club. Australian Terry Price shot a 66 in an event tri-sanctioned by the European, Australasian and Asian PGA
Tours.

"You can't ask for much better than that, to start with a 64 and to play the
way I did this morning, I am very pleased," said Els, who won the Johnnie
Walker Classic in Australia in 1997.

Reigning British Open champion Els was on record setting pace reaching eight
under par after 10 holes. He started his round on the back nine, which he
played in seven-under-par 29, and raced into the lead with six birdies and
an eagle, on the par-five 15th. His first dropped shot on the second and
another on four slowed him down but did not prevent him from finishing the
day in front.

"That is as good as I've played. I made one long putt on 12 for birdie but
the rest of them weren't all that long. So I hit some really good shots and
felt in the groove. That was probably the best I have played in all the
weeks I have been down here. It is not one of the easiest golf courses and
to shoot that on that nine was quite nice," said Els.

Els won the Nedbank Challenge on home soil at the end of last year and when
he teed it up this year he produced four amazing weeks of golf. He won the
opening two events of the season on the US PGA Tour in Hawaii, which were
the Mercedes Championship, followed by the Sony Open, and immediately
afterwards he finished second in the Caltex Masters in Singapore. He then
completed his superb run of results by winning the Heineken Classic in
Melbourne before taking last week off.

He showed no signs of rustiness or tiredness today and after a brilliant
first 10 holes started thinking about a sub-60 round.

"I came down to earth on the second with a bogey and settled all those silly
thoughts. When you have a run like that you start thinking other things. It
is probably not the right thing to think about but I let myself wander,"
said Els.

Lynn, twice a runner-up on the European Tour and joint fourth in Melbourne
two weeks ago, did not drop a shot and made seven birdies.

"Mentally I am very strong at the moment. I am getting on with what I have
got to do. I am ignoring, like I was telling everyone in Melbourne, that I
felt like I could hit it a bit left. I would not say that anything has
changed since then. I am just getting on with the job," said Lynn.

European Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley from Ireland, Australians Peter
O'Malley, Brett Rumford and Chris Downes, and Welshman Ian Woosnam all
carded 67s.

England's Nick Faldo shot a 68 while defending champion Retief Goosen from
South Africa, who won by eight shots last year, came in with a 72. Last
week's ANZ Championship winner Paul Casey from England opened with a 71.

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