Former champion Ernie Els is fully recovered from the knee injury which caused him to miss last year’s British Open and says he is ready to return to the winner’s enclosure.
”My knee is really good. It’s been almost a year now, almost to the day, since I hurt it,” the world number eight told reporters on Tuesday.
”It has taken quite a while [to heal fully] but it feels good. Now it’s just a matter of time before I do something good again.”
The 36-year-old Els was out of action for four months after sustaining the injury on a family sailing holiday in the Mediterranean.
He won the Dunhill Championship in his native South Africa last December before suffering a form slump.
”I really didn’t hit the ball very well at the US Open last month,” said Els. ”I really wasn’t feeling comfortable.
”Now I feel confident about my abilities. I think I’m on the right track again.”
Els, who won the British Open at Muirfield four years ago and also has two US Open victories to his credit, said the key to success at sun-baked Hoylake would be accuracy off the tee.
”This is going to be pure links golf this week,” he said. ”The ball is running a long way on the fairways.
”There are a lot of three-wood shots off the tee, irons even, to keep the ball in play. You get something in play on the fairways and from there you take your chances.
”The course is so well bunkered that even with these conditions, you have still got to be careful about running into some of these pot bunkers in the fairways. Although the course is playing short, you have got to be careful.”
The championship starts on Thursday. — Reuters