Ernie Els was left to rue a pair of missed putts from inside three feet that tarnished an otherwise fine round of ball-striking at the PGA Tour’s season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship on Friday.
”If I made some putts, I could have had a low one,” the South African world number nine told reporters after carding a four-under-par 69 in ideal scoring conditions for the second round at the Kapalua Resort.
”I knew today was the day to get a low one. I’m there but I feel like I could be a lot better. But it’s fine. It’s the first week of the year and I guess I’ve just got to be patient.”
Champion here in 2003, Els mixed seven birdies with three bogeys for a nine-under total of 137, two strokes behind pacesetting Australian Geoff Ogilvy.
Playing only his second tournament in nine weeks, the easy-swinging South African missed a short putt for par at the eighth and then for birdie at the 12th.
”I never really made the putts I made yesterday,” Els said, after totalling 29 putts during Friday’s second round.
”I just want to score the way I’m playing. That’s my whole deal. I feel like I’m (losing) at least two or three shots out there every day.”
Good test
After two days of shifting winds on Kapalua’s Plantation Course, Kona (southerly) winds are expected for Saturday’s third round.
”The wind has switched and maybe we get different conditions again tomorrow,” three-times major winner Els said.
”Today was perfect, and it sounds as though maybe tomorrow we will get a south-west wind blowing.
”The weather really dictates how you score here. If the weather really blows, it will be a good test.”
Back at the picturesque Kapalua Resort for the first time since 2005, Els knows all about low scoring on the hilly layout.
He romped to victory here by eight strokes in 2003, setting a tournament record with a 31-under total of 261 in relatively benign conditions.
”There’s a lot of elevation here with this mountain we are on,” the 39-year-old said.
”So if you get it on the wrong side, you can be in a lot of trouble, especially with the wind blowing, basically, behind the mountain. If you leave yourself in the wrong spot, you can be in trouble.” – Reuters