Johnnie Walker Classic,
Blue Canyon C. C.,
Phuket, Thailand
22th - 25th January 1998

Par 72 Prize Money £800,000

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Els charges into three-shot lead

By Mark Garrod, PA Sport

Phuket, Thailand, 22nd January 1998 - If there is someone other than Tiger Woods that Europe's finest players would rather not chase in a golf tournament, then that man is South African Ernie Els.

But entering the third round of the £800,000 Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket on Saturday it is Els, the defending champion as well as the US Open champion, who leads the way on the 12 under par mark of 132.

Despite the intense heat, a sparkling 65 - one outside Greg Norman's course record - left him three ahead of German Alexander Cejka and four clear of Ireland's World Cup hero Padraig Harrington.

Lee Westwood is five back following a 66, Nick Faldo one further back after a 67 - and Woods now 11 adrift in joint 22nd place after once more failing to find top form.

At least he is still alive in an event where the sponsors are reported to be paying him as much as a million dollars to play.

Ian Woosnam, winner two years ago in Singapore, failed to survive the cut on five over and Ryder Cup Dane Thomas Bjorn crashed out as well after sharing the first day pace with Els.

Bjorn was suffering badly with a stomach upset, felt close to collapse on the course and slumped to an 81. He admitted he almost pulled out on the 16th and said: "That's the worst I've ever felt playing golf. It was hot, yet I felt cold."

For the second day running slow play became a talking point. Two players, Ulsterman Raymond Burns and South African Wayne Westner, were docked a shot and fined £500 in the first round and this time Westwood blamed officials for costing him a shot.

Playing partner Faldo and Woods were timed as well as the new European tour crackdown - requested by the players - continued, but Westwood, the 24-year-old from Worksop chasing a fourth victory in six starts, said: "I was a bit upset and to be timed was ridiculous. The rules need looking at.

"We were not holding up the group behind and it was stupid. In this heat there's got to be leeway. Everybody's trying to rush us around nowadays, but it's so hot you don't walk as quickly and you don't want players collapsing."

The 'hurry up' came on the long 15th and Westwood said he did indeed rush and did not make the birdie he was expecting after finding the fringe of the green in two.

One person unable to hurry was Els's Yorkshire-born caddie Ricky Roberts. He twisted his ankle at the start of the day, had it bandaged and really struggled around.

"I don't know if he'll be able to work over the weekend," said Els. "Hopefully he'll be OK because he is so good at his job."

And so is world No 3 Els. He had six birdies in seven holes from the fifth to take charge and added another at the 15th for good measure.

"I was very satisfied with the way I played and I really enjoyed it out there," he commented. "I feel really good about my game and doing the things I want to do."

Harrington and Westwood are surprised to find themselves where they are so soon in the years, having both taken long breaks after end-of-season heroics.

Harrington partnered Paul McGinley when Ireland captured the World Cup for only the second time in their history in November, the month in which Westwood won in Spain, Japan and then Australia to confirm his arrival as one of the world's great emerging talents.

Neither have played since and 26-year-old Harrington, who writes down his goals for the season on a computer at home, said: "I'm still not expecting very much here. It all feels strange."

He was round nevertheless in 67 and so far on the 204-yard second has needed just three shots. He aced it on Thursday and on returning to the scene sank a 20-footer for one of six birdies.

Westwood enjoyed Faldo's company just as he had on his Ryder Cup debut in September. They had 13 birdies between them, but Faldo undid two of his seven by pulling an eight-iron into the lake at the short 14th and taking five.

He came home in 31, however, and was delighted to have at long last started to hole some long-range putts again.

Westwood's thoughts were on his stomach when he finished. "I didn't have breakfast and played on an empty stomach," he confessed. "I didn't have anything on the way round either and I was hungry. It was probably a mistake."

Woosnam said after his 76: "I played terrible, but I didn't have high expectations here - not in this heat." The Welshman has described himself in the past as "not so much sweating as leaking" when the humidity is high.

Woods has not yet given up hope of winning. He came within a shot of forcing a play-off at last year's Pebble Beach Pro-am after standing 12 behind at halfway and when asked whom he would put his money on to win the £133,330 first prize on Sunday he answered: "Me".

© PA Sporting Life