Golf: Ernie Els not worrying about early exit

Ernie Els is relishing his return to Muirfield 12 months on

Then the 42-year-old, who had been considering quitting the game, went through an out-of-body experience and came away with victory in last year?s Open Champ-ionship.

Els arrived at Lytham as an 80-1 outsider, and after 54 holes he was six strokes back. After 68 he still had next to no chance of winning with Adam Scott four shots clear.

But as the Australian collapsed like a condemned block of flats, Els emerged from the rubble with a hero?s swagger.

And as the dust cleared there was the Big Easy, a decade after he had last lifted the Claret Jug, cradling it in his arms again.

Els, five days out from his defence at Muirfield, said: ?The Open last year was one of those highlight reels you rewind to, one of those gifts you feel came from somewhere else. It was a great story living through it.

?It?s unbelievable how The Open crowd can lift you. That?s what happened to me. I could feel the crowd over the back nine willing me to do it, whispering, ?Come on?.

?I know Scotty helped me but I played the last nine in four under.

?I had it in the back of my mind what Scotty was going to have to go through. It?s not easy winning.

?Adam was right in his prime, ready to win but a certain tension comes into play. Those who have been through it know what?s coming. Those who haven?t, don?t.

?It?s unbelievable how The Open crowd can lift you. That?s what happened to me.?

Ernie Els

?It did feel different to win it again. To get the opportunity at 42 is so special. It?s almost like the game throws you something.?

Els made an early exit from the Scottish Open yesterday after only carding 70 to follow his even par first round of 72 on a day when 117 players broke par at Castle Stuart.

?I just did not get the bounces,? Els said. ?I thought I played quite well today but I had no idea on these greens so I am glad I am leaving to get on some other greens.?

Els knows all about putting problems. Eighteen months before his Open triumph he had become a laughing stock on the greens and almost walked away.

When David Feherty announced Els would be putting with a live rattlesnake as he introduced him on the first tee at the Tavistock Cup he was seething but it was only what everyone was thinking.

Els said: ?My daughter wants to go into tennis. I tell her, ?No, you don?t want to go into professional sport?. It?s hard to explain to the man in the street. The rewards are unbelievable but the disappointments are as brutal as you will find because it?s in the public eye.

?If you play as long as I have, you?re a very lucky man if you?re not touched by every single aspect of the sport and I?ve been touched by most of it ? mentally, physically ? in front of millions of people.

?The despair of it can get to you. That?s why so many give it up.?

Source: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/othersport/view/326162/Golf-Ernie-Els-not-worrying-about-early-exit/

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