Emotional Els back in winner's circle
IN: News | US PGA | The Honda Classic (2008) | Round Four | by Bruce Young | 03 Mar 2008
It was an emotional and humble Ernie Els who received congratulations after his one shot victory at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach today, his 16th PGA Tour victory but his first since 2004. The win clearly meant a lot to him and he was quick to thank those who had supported him through what had at times been frustrating times in the interim.
In addition to his caddy Jason, his wife Liezl, his children and his wider family he also acknowledged the role golfing guru Bob Rotella had played.
“He’s just such a wonderful guy and he’s gotten to know me a little bit better now and he basically just wants me to be Ernie Els again, to be kind of like the ‘Big Easy’ again. I’ve been a little bit uptight and a little grumpy, and, you know, basically because I’ve been trying to get better and win those tournaments.”
“But I mean, you have either bad luck or bad play or, you know, whatever happened to you, you start getting a little uptight. So he’s been trying to relax me a little bit more and be more myself, and that’s when I play my best is when I just go out there and play the golf course.”
While Els may not have won in the past four years on the PGA Tour he has hardly been a struggling artist. He won the World Match Play Championship late in 2007 and recorded seven finishes inside the top three top in events worldwide so his form has been solid but at the level he finds himself in world golf, winning on the PGA Tour is so important. With Augusta now just five weeks away then the win could not have come at a better time.
Els started the final round only three back of the leaders Jones, Calcavecchia and Donald but he had seven golfers between him and the lead.
“I was pleased when I saw the breeze this morning and making a good start was important especially being an hour ahead of the last group. After my first round loss at the Accenture I stayed on in Arizona and hit a lot of balls and practiced hard and it has paid off.”
Four birdies in his first seven holes today had Els knocking on the door of the leaders, Calcavecchia and Jones, who had started strongly but despite missing putts over the closing stages Els was very importantly securing pars, his only blemish coming at the 17th where he missed the green and did not get up and down. At that point Els was tied with Calcavecchia and Jones at 6 under but they had not begun the tough stretch of holes known as the Bear Trap on the Jack Nicklaus redesigned layout at PGA National.
They don’t call it the “Bear Trap” for nothing as both Jones and Calcavecchia would find out.
A double bogey by Calcavecchia at the 15th after finding the greenside bunker and then the hazard all but cost him his chance of victory. Jones, who had done so well in just his sixth start on the PGA Tour to be contending at this level, missed a par saving five footer at the 15th after a good bunker shot to drop out of a share of the lead.
At the 17th he was between clubs and the indecision produced an indifferent shot which found water from the tee, the resultant double bogey eliminating his chances of forcing the issue with Els who was by now on the practice range preparing for the possibility of a playoff.
As the final pair of Luke Donald and Mark Calcavecchia reached the 18th tee only Donald could realistically influence the final result. He need a birdie at the demanding par five but missed the green with his third and although he hit a good pitch he came up one short.
Some time earlier Nathan Green had crept his way up the leaderboard from 19th overnight with a final round of 67 including birdies at two of the last three holes and in the end, as those around him fell, he found himself alone in third place and a cheque for US$374,000.
Jones’ double at the 17th meant he would finish in a share of 4th with Robert Allenby and Calcavecchia after Calcavecchia bogeyed the last to add to the Australians pay cheque. All three in fourth place earned US$227,000 which now means that Jones has earned US$430,000 in his first six starts on the PGA Tour.
While disappointed at his late slipup Jones will look back with delight at the manner in which he handled himself in his first real taste of contention on the PGA Tour. That he was able to stay in touch with players far more credentialed and experienced than him in such a situation will give him great heart for the road ahead.
Four Australians finished inside the top ten with Green 3rd, Allenby and Jones 4th and Mathew Goggin in a share of 7th.
Peter Lonard was 30th, John Senden 43rd, Richard Green 49th and David Lutterus 60th.
The PGA Tour now crosses to the west coast of Florida for the PODS Championship starting on Thursday.
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