Ernie Els makes a strong start

Ernie Els made a strong start as he starts his quest for a sixth South African Open title

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Ernie Els made a strong start as he starts his quest for a sixth South African Open title

 

Edited by Anand Datla

 

Tournament host Ernie Els made the ideal start to his bid for a sixth South African Open Championship hosted by the Coty of Ekurhuleni title with an opening round of 67 on Thursday.  Els carded six birdies and one bogey to set the clubhouse target of five under par at Glendower Golf Club in his native Ekurhuleni.

 

The 45 year old started on the back nine and recovered from a bogey on the 12th with birdies at the 13th, 14th and 16th to be out in 34, before picking up further shots on the second and fifth.  Els missed a good birdie chance on the seventh from 15 feet, but finished his round in style with a superb iron shot to two feet on the ninth for a closing birdie as he looks to make amends for a winless season in 2014 on both sides of the Atlantic.

 

“That was nice,” said Els, who failed to register a top-three finish on The European Tour last season for the first time since 1992. “I was a little nervous here and there but it was so nice to play Glendower in front of my home crowd.”  Els has reverted to a normal putter ahead of the ban on anchored strokes which comes into effect in 2016, and admitted short putts were “still a little bit nerve-wracking”.

 

However, the home favourite and four-time Major winner was delighted with his iron shots on a course featuring thick rough surrounding the narrow fairways.  “I have been working on that a little bit, taking a little distance off and trying not to hit them too hard,” he added.  “Coming off the fairway they were coming out nice and crisp so I enjoyed my iron shots today.  We have had a nice start now and I want to keep it up, get better on the greens a little more and see where we end up.”

 

Playing alongside Els, Italy’s Edoardo Molinari finished eagle, birdie to card a 69 and share third place with Sweden’s Niclas Fasth, France’s Raphaël Jacquelin and England’s Tom Murray, while defending champion Morten Ørum Madsen had to settle for an opening 73.

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