Els desperate to get game going 0
Posted on
January 18, 2012 by
Ken
Three-time major champion Ernie Els is desperate to get his game going at the Volvo Golf Champions that tees off at the Fancourt Links on Thursday as he eyes a return to the top-50 of the world rankings and an invitation to the Masters.
Els has plummeted to number 71 in the rankings after what he termed a “dismal” 2011 in which he failed to win a tournament. The South African needs to return to the top-50 by the end of March in order to avoid failing to qualify for the Masters for the first time since 1993.
The 42-year-old Els said his putting has been at the core of his loss of form.
“A lot of people are reminding me that, at the moment, I’m not in the Masters. I know where I stand in the rankings, I don’t need reminding. But I’ve got a couple of months to rectify it – you don’t want to be asking for an invitation to Augusta, so I’ll just have to qualify,” Els told a news conference at Fancourt, an estate course in the southern Cape, on Wednesday.
“But you lose your sense of humour when you’re not putting well and I’d like to get that back. If I can get the putter working, then you’ll see me smiling more.
“My work ethic and determination are more than ever. The last season was dismal and I really want to turn things around and win some tournaments,” Els said.
Els will be one of eight South Africans in the 35-man field for the winners-only invitation event, having qualified thanks to his 2010 victory in the South African Open, and he said the home golfers will have an advantage over the European contingent.
“Local knowledge will definitely come into play here, especially when the sea-breeze picks up, and it’s definitely an advantage for myself, Retief Goosen and Louis Oosthuizen because we’re here on vacation every year and we know the course,” Els said.
“The family and I have been coming down here now for the last 22 years, so it’s home for us. I played all of December here, so I have a good feel for the course. Knowing the course is also a big advantage,” Els said.
World number nine Charl Schwartzel will be out to justify his standing as the highest-ranked player in the field and will also be eyeing the April 5-8 Masters, where he is the defending champion. The wiry South African did not get off to a quick start to the year, missing the cut in last week’s Joburg Open, where he was also the defending champion.
“Last week I missed out, but I played decently and only missed 4 greens in 36 holes – I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole. My game feels even better now and hopefully some putts go in so I can get my confidence going as I build up to Augusta.
“The way I’m striking the ball and my physical shape just keeps improving. I’m not stationary, my game keeps going forward, but I just need to putt well to win. At Augusta, your success also has a lot to do with the greens,” Schwartzel said.
Fellow major champions Oosthuizen, Darren Clarke, Paul Lawrie, Jose’-Maria Olazabal, Goosen and Padraig Harrington will also be teeing it up at the two million euro event on the 6652-metre, par-73 Fancourt Links.
Harrington was one of the golfers who qualifed thanks to having won more than nine times on the European Tour and the three-time major champion will be concentrating on regaining his best form – having tumbled to 89th on the world rankings – in an event where there is no cut.
“If I play well from the word go, then I can compete, otherwise I have four days to work on my game and play myself into form. The South African lads have a big advantage and you can’t win every year, I just have to be patient,” Harrington said.