Els explodes after faltering at Players
By Andrew Both
PA SportsTicker Golf Writer
PONTE VEDRA, Florida (Ticker) - Three-time major champion Ernie Els says the United States PGA Tour should take the famous island-green hole and “blow it up”.
An angry Els was fuming after working hard to compile a good score in the first round at the Players Championship, only to throw it all away with a triple bogey at the par-3 17th at the Sawgrass TPC.
“I think they should blow it up. You can’t have a major championship …” the South African said, catching himself before he said something he might regret later.
“Everything you’ve worked on for 4 1/2 hours is gone in one hole. I was so angry. I felt if I got in the house at 2-under, that would have been a great score.”
Els was speaking after finding the water with a pitching wedge at the 17th, where he “chunked” his tee shot, his ball drowning short and right of the green.
He almost found water from the drop zone too, with his third shot stopping on the back fringe, from where he took three more strokes to hole out.
He was so angry that he attacked the par-4 18th as though he had nothing to lose, picking up a birdie for an even-par 72 that, when all was said and done, was a very good score in the strong afternoon winds.
But that was little consolation to Els, who could only rue what might have been.
“Normally, I’ve played 17 well in the past,” he said. “I think I’ve only hit it in the water once before. Today, I just made a mistake and paid the penalty.
“I probably should have hit a sand iron as hard as I could. I had my sand iron in my hand and then I changed and went back to the wedge and hit it too soft. I actually chunked it a little bit.”
The 17th hole notwithstanding, it was a promising performance by Els, the world No. 4, who recently left long-time coach David Leadbetter to work with Butch Harmon.
“Lead is a great coach (but) I just needed to hear it from someone else,” Els continued. “I really feel I can work well with (Harmon). He’s had some great players come through.”
