Ernie Els is looking to one of his favourite tournaments, the Dubai Desert Classic, to kick-start his year and focus his latest bid to win a first Masters title in April.
The big South African will be seeking a record fourth win in the Gulf tournament, a feat that has narrowly escaped his clutches in the last two years.
First he lost by a stroke to Henrik Stenson in 2007, losing three shots to the Swede in the final round, and then last year he fell victim to a late charge from Tiger Woods as the American came home in a stunning 31 to triumph.
This time around, Els is in need of a timely boost as he has slipped out of the world top 10 to 12th place as he approaches his 40th birthday later in the year.
”I think it is important to win early on in the season — just to settle your nerves,” he said.
”Obviously Augusta [Masters] when you play and you’re in contention, it’s a pretty big pressure cooker and a lot of tension.
”So if you can win a tournament … maybe you can overcome a little battle within yourself before you get to a Major.”
Els won the last of his three Majors in 2002 when he captured the British Open at Muirfield after a four-man play-off. That came on top of his two US Open wins in 1994 and 1997.
But he struggled to get into contention last year when his best showing was a tie for seventh place at the British Open at Royal Birkdale, and he sees this year as being key to getting back into the reckoning for the top titles.
So far the portents have not been that good.
”I’m playing okay but I’m not scoring very well,” he said.
”I started in Hawaii. I played two weeks there. I played the Mercedes and the Sony Open. Played pretty well at the first event but on the third day there, I really had some putting problems.
”I think that put a little bit of doubt in my head. The last couple of weeks I haven’t been very comfortable on the greens.
”So I’m looking at a new putter this week — hopefully I can get that straightened out and have a good week.”
Els moved his family to Florida last year where he feels his autistic son, Ben, will benefit from better facilities, but he insists that he has no intention of cutting back on his schedule, which has been one of the most global on the circuit for years.
”The tours, the schedules have moved around where it’s pretty easy to do a worldwide schedule still,” he said.
”I start in Hawaii .. have three weeks off after this and then I start my US run through to the Masters and then we do a little bit of European golf — the BMW PGA Championship and the European Open and before that the Ballantine’s in South Korea and back to the US.
”So I’ll be playing the same schedule I’ve always played — it’s not going to be a problem.” — AFP