Former winner Ernie Els felt a little peeved after squandering a red-hot start in Thursday’s opening round at the Mercedes-Benz Championship.
Back at the picturesque Kapalua Resort for the first time since 2005, the long-hitting South African got to six under after 11 holes before bogeying the par-five 15th.
He also failed to birdie the par-five last, narrowly missing a 10-foot putt and having to settle for a five-under-par 68.
”I feel a little hot under the collar right now,” Els told reporters after ending a day of light winds, sunshine and occasional showers one shot behind pacesetting Australian Geoff Ogilvy.
”I had a good round going today. I had a perfect start. I was six under through 11 and I had a birdie putt on 12 to go seven under,” he added, referring to a 20-footer which he missed.
”But I feel okay. To be five under, I would have taken it before I teed off.”
Elite field
The three-times major champion, who booked his place in the elite winners-only field at Kapalua with victory at last year’s Honda Classic, made his first birdie at the par-four third.
A four-iron to 15 feet set up an eagle three at the fifth and he picked up further shots at the sixth and ninth to reach the turn in a sizzling five-under 31.
Els, known as the ”Big Easy”, got to six under after hitting a wedge to 12 feet at the 11th before his momentum stalled.
”You want to birdie the par-fives on this golf course,” said the 39-year-old, who romped to victory here by eight strokes in 2003, setting a tournament record with a 31-under total of 261.
”I eagled one and then I bogeyed 15, which was a good bogey after I pulled it way left. And I didn’t birdie 18. You want to be three or four under on the par-fives every day.”
Overall, though, Els was in good spirits about his game.
”I feel very fresh,” he said. ”I haven’t had so much time off, ever. I’ve had like seven or eight weeks off out of nine, so that was pretty nice.
”My game is coming around and I’ve started playing some good golf ever since the FedEx [Cup last September]. I’m playing okay and I’m feeling good about the season.” – Reuters