Els insists he did not 'give up' in final round
Updated: July 13, 2004, 5:20 PM ET
Reuters
TROON, Scotland -- Ernie Els, a man so relaxed on a golf course he has been nicknamed "the Big Easy," uncharacteristically became "the Big Angry" at Royal Troon on Tuesday.
The South African who's No. 2 in the world, in Scotland to regain the British Open he won at Muirfield two years ago, is still fuming a month after the U.S. Open.
He believes the U.S. Golf Association allowed the world-renowned Shinnecock Hills course to be reduced to a lottery with waist-high rough and marble-fast, baked-dry greens by the final day.
Els' hopes of a third U.S. Open title were shattered by a last-round 80 and his countryman Retief Goosen instead kept his nerve to claim his second crown.
Just the memory of that June day left Els seething in a news conference at Troon -- but when he was told a USGA official had suggested he had "given up," the 34-year-old positively flushed with anger.
"I wish you hadn't said that," he told the reporter who related the remark to him. "That's just the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life.
"I have never given up in any round in my life. If I'd given up I would have shot 100.
"Let me tell you something. They lost the plot that time -- end of story.
"To take one of the best courses in the entire world and make it a farce like that, they've got egg on their face.
"And I'd just like to meet the guy who said that I'd given up."
He finally cooled as talk returned to Troon, which he regards as tough but fair, and his chances of overtaking Tiger Woods at the top of the world rankings.
If the American finishes outside the top 20 and Els wins, then Woods' long reign as the world's top golfer will be over.
Els is convinced, however, that Woods will "be a factor" at Troon as the American chases his second Open Claret Jug and a ninth major.
But Els suggested that it was almost through sheer willpower rather than Woods' current form that made him a serious contender.
Woods has not won a major since the 2002 U.S. Open, the longest run without success in one of golf's four top events since turning professional eight years ago.
"He's hardly in a slump -- he's still finishing in the top five, top 10 in tournaments -- but I guess you could say his game is coming back to the field these days," said Els.
"It's his mind that is so strong still, though, and it helps him get the ball around and in the hole.
"But there's a few guys who now feel they can compete with him and I guess that shows how times have changed. Four or five years ago we wouldn't have been having this conversation."
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