Ernie Els wasn’t trying to send a message. But he may have. With the world’s top-two players missing, South Africa’s Els set a 72-hole PGA Tour scoring record on Sunday, pulling away from South Korean KJ Choi to win the season-opening Mercedes Championships at the picturesque, par-73 Plantation Course.
Els carded a six-under-par 67 to finish at 31-under 261, a four-round PGA Tour record in relation to par. Two years ago, Joe Durant played the first 72 holes of the 90-hole Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in 29-under.
”Well, obviously, it’s an unbelievable week for me,” said Els, who birdied five of the last seven holes and pocketed $1-million. ”You know, the weather stayed away again. I just played my game.”
While normally blustery Kapalua cooperated all week, Els still played sensationally. He finished the tournament with four eagles, 28 birdies, one bogey and two double-bogeys.
Els went wire-to-wire for his 11th PGA Tour victory. The 33-year-old South African had a one-stroke lead with eight holes to play but finished eight shots ahead of Choi and Rocco Mediate.
By the time Els walked off the 18th green, many were wondering if he could be the one to finally challenge Tiger Woods. Els is ranked third in the world behind Woods and Phil Mickelson, neither of whom played this week.
”I think he would relish that,” Mediate said of Woods. ”I think he would be better. It would make Ernie better, Phil better, Vijay (Singh). They’re all in the same boat. I hope that rivalry does happen.”
Els isn’t counting on it, even after humbling the winners-only 36-man field and posting the most decisive victory on tour since Mark Calcavecchia won the 2001 Phoenix Open by eight shots.
”I’m not trying to send a message to anybody,” Els said.
”I’m just trying to prove to myself that I can play well, just keep improving on the things that I’m working on — you know, the mental side of the game, the physical side of the game.”
Els, who won last year’s British Open for his third career major, doesn’t have to work on much. He has won three PGA Tour events in the last 10 months to entrench himself as one of the world’s three best players.
Els has played well at Kapalua for years. He lost a memorable playoff to Woods here in 2000 and finished third the following season.
”You know, the golf course gave me everything back,” Els said. ”Now that I lost by close margins, this makes it feel much better.”
Choi felt good about himself, even though he was within one stroke with eight to play and lost by eight. After setting a course record on Saturday with an 11-under 62, he settled for a 73 and a share of second at 23-under 269.
”I feel that it was a very good week starting off the new season,” he said through an interpreter. ”Although it was a tie for second, I feel very proud of myself for my performance this week.”
Mediate matched Jonathan Byrd for the low round of the day with a 63 and tied Choi at 269. Eight others finished at 20-under or better on a course made easier by the benign conditions.
Singh and Retief Goosen of South Africa tied for fourth on 270. Els reached 30-under with a 10-foot birdie putt at 16 and added to the record by two-putting for birdie at the last.
”I’ve had some good weeks in my career, but obviously to shoot 31-under par, I obviously haven’t done that,” Els said. ”Nobody’s done it.” – Sapa-AFP