FRIDAY, 11.20AM:
SOUTH AFRICAN and US Open champion Ernie Els struggled in the back nine and finished at 4-over 75 in the first round of the British Open on Thursday. Els said it was the toughest round he had ever played. “I played pretty well on the front line but then my start to the back nine was crazy, with a double bogey on the 10th. After that I really hung in. I didn’t put the ball where I wanted to and paid the penalty,” said Els.
Els had chances for birdies in the four opening holes but converted only one. He left his second shot short of the par four, 457-yard 15th and then chipped to within five feet of the hole. “I didn’t feel very comfortable out there today. There are days when you don’t feel quite right, and I had one of those days,” added Els.
Retief Goosen and Wayne Westner finshed on the same score. Gary Player, Zimbabwean Nick Price and Tim McNulty finished on 78, and David Frost carded 81.