Sunday, March 3,
2002
Role
reversal for Els at Doral
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
MIAMI (AP) - The
score was so astounding in such difficult conditions that it appeared
Ernie Els was playing a different game than everyone else at the
Genuity Championship.
He made eight birdies
on a day when gusts were over 30 mph. His 6-under 66 was three
strokes better than anyone else, and eight strokes better than
the average score.
Tiger Woods can relate
to the performance - but not the position.
By the time Els was
finished making a mockery of the Blue Monster at Doral, he had
an eight-stroke lead over Woods and Peter Lonard of Australia.
"This was not
an easy day," Wood said. "Anything under par is a good
score. Obviously, Ernie was playing very well. It's a major challenge
tomorrow."
That's what Els was
saying two years ago, when he was a forgotten runner-up to Woods
in the U.S. Open (15 strokes) and the British Open (eight strokes).
"I enjoy competing
out here and especially against the best," Els said. "He's
definitely the best out there, so hopefully I will be ready this
year for him."
Woods birdied the
first two holes but managed only pars the rest of the way, finishing
with a 2-under 70. Lonard also had a 70, but finished before Woods
and will be in the final pairing with Els on Sunday.
Els was at 199 and
had the largest 54-hole lead on tour since Woods led by nine strokes
in the NEC Invitational at Firestone two years ago, when he won
by 11.
It was the largest
lead Els has had since a six-stroke margin in the 1996 Buick Classic,
which he went on to win by eight shots.
Els was asked if
would feel even more comfortable with an eight-shot lead if Woods
wasn't one of the guys in his rearview mirror.
"Yeah, probably,"
he laughed.
Four years ago at
the Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand, Woods made up an eight-stroke
deficit in the final round and beat Els in a playoff.
"I know he's
come back at me in the past in Thailand," Els said. "But
I'm playing quite well this time."
Els closed with rounds
of 74-73 in Thailand, nothing like the kind of golf he is playing
this week. He has made only two bogeys and has taken just 74 putts
through three rounds.
And while his 66
on Saturday wasn't the lowest score of the year, it might have
been the best round. The Blue Monster was a real menace, with
gusts over 30 mph. Only four players managed to break 70, while
four had an 80 or worse.
"I wouldn't
say it was a walk in the park," Els said. "I'm a little
surprised I'm eight ahead. I'm just doing what I thought I would
do for a long time."
Els is hitting the
ball so well that he wanted the wind to blow hard, the best way
to separate the players on top of their game. There were few challengers
Saturday.
Playing in the group
ahead, Woods tried to apply some pressure with birdies on the
first two holes. Els matched him, then recovered from his first
bogey of the tournament.
He leaked a 4-iron
on the 236-yard fourth hole, the ball bouncing off the hill and
into the water. Els hit a nice pitch to 6 feet and escaped with
a bogey, his lead down to three.
He answered with
a sand wedge into 12 feet for birdie on No. 5, then a 5-iron into
5 feet on No. 6 for another birdie.
When he holed from
20 feet on the next hole for his third straight birdie and a six-shot
lead, Els couldn't contain a sheepish smile as the gallery egged
him on.
"Tiger who?"
one of them said.
There might not be
a single rivalry in golf, but no one has a better history of great
theater than Woods and Els.
It began at the Johnnie
Walker Classic in 1998. A month later, Els returned the favor
at Bay Hill when he played with Woods in a 36-hole Sunday and
was 12 shots better.
Woods has gotten
the better of him ever since, although the golf has been rarely
short of spectacular - a one-shot win at Disney in 1999, a playoff
at Kapalua in 2000 when both players were at a high level.
There was also that
15-stroke victory at Pebble Beach, and Woods' eight-stroke margin
in the British Open at St. Andrews.
"What transpired
in the past is irrelevant," Woods said. "You've got
to go out there and execute golf shots here and now."
Woods missed an 11-foot
birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have put him in the final
pairing with Els, although he said that wasn't important.
"If I get off
to a good start, he's got to look at it," Woods said.
Whatever Els saw
on Saturday didn't spook him too much.
Divots: Six players
had to return to finish the second round Saturday morning, which
only made the cut official at 144. It was the second straight
year at Doral the cut was at even par or better, after six consecutive
years at over par. ... Cell phones continue to be a problem on
the PGA Tour, and Justin Leonard always seems to be involved.
One was ringing as he teed off on No. 16, pulling it badly into
a left bunker. "How about turning it off?" Leonard yelled
as his ball was airborne. ... The 18th tee was moved up 74 yards,
leaving the big hitters a wedge into the green. "I was wondering
why I saw some of the guys down there that far," Woods said.
"I thought they hit a shot in the right trees and had to
pitch out." ... Lonard played in rain pants because he bent
over and tore his regular pants.
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