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OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSICFebruary 5, 2016Ernie ElsDubai, United Arab Emirates Q. Let's get down straight to the nitty-gritty: Where did this form come from? ERNIE ELS: I think the love of the golf course. I've been feel better and better since the first week of the season, weather was pretty bad. I've got Vern over here, my trainer, Vern McMullen, and we've been working off the golf course a little bit. I feel like I've been working on my equipment a little bit, also, so things have been coming along a little bit, slowly. But mainly the putter. I'm falling in love on the greens again. Q. Boxie in the box, he actually said today that you looked like when you're walking up the fairway, you're looking forward to getting to the greens; is that so? ERNIE ELS: It's an exact turnaround from a couple weeks ago where I was dreading to get on the greens. I'm actually enjoying it on the greens. The surfaces are just unbelievable and I've got a lot more confidence in the stroke and in the setup and all of that stuff. So I'm actually starting to enjoy myself on the greens, which is an absolute turnaround. Almost got a smile out of me right now. Q. No one has won this tournament three times but you; what is it about this place that you adore? ERNIE ELS: Well, I think it's the setup obviously. You get to golf courses where you like it and this is obviously one of them. I've played it enough times, you know. Played it since '93. So I know it quite well. A lot of doglegs right-to-left, and the greens are perfect. You can get on to the par 5s a little bit and you've got some holes where you've got 9-irons, wedges in your hand, so you can get aggressive. It's a course that sets up nice for me. Q. Yesterday, played great, finished on the 18th with a six; today you made an eagle, you made amends. How did you feel about that? ERNIE ELS: That was a lot different. It was getting late in the day. I was struggling with my physical a bit yesterday, and today, I hit a drive beautiful and a 6-iron and rolled in a putt, so a little different circumstances. Yesterday I played unbelievable. It was a 68 and it could have been really something. Today I kind of scrambled the front nine and played a little bit better on the back. Q. You're a four-time Major Champion and one of the great champions of the world; are you ready? ERNIE ELS: Yes, I am. I really feel like that. I feel like I'm looking forward to the weekend. I'm not dreading the greens. That's where I've been there for the last two or three years since I won The Open Championship. I feel very different. I feel like, you know, I don't mind making a 2-footer or a 4-footer. I feel I can do that, and my ball-striking has been okay. So I'm looking forward to the weekend. Q. Imagine you won't get carried away, but what are your thoughts seeing your name at the top of the board? ERNIE ELS: It's quite nice, surprising a bit. Perfect conditions this morning. Better flag positions, a little tougher to get to the holes. But very pleased with that. It probably won't hold up but I'll be in the mix and thereabouts, so that's all I can ask for. Q. Course different in the morning as it is to the afternoon? ERNIE ELS: It's a little different. The ball doesn't travel as far in the morning, but you're putting on absolutely perfect putting surfaces. You know, I just said to Wayne, I didn't play that well on the front nine, tee-to-green, but I made a lot of putts to save pars and obviously made an eagle on 18. And then played a little bit better on the back, but the front nine was my back nine, was a bit of a tougher nine. But I'm pleased with the way I played. Q. That eagle is tasty compared to the bogey of day one; how is your rib, how is the back, how is the result of that? ERNIE ELS: It's better. It's getting better each day. I can still feel it but it's a lot better. You know, keep working on it and you know, I can't use it as an excuse anymore. It feels a lot better. I'm looking forward to the weekend. Whatever happens, happens, but I'm playing pretty good. Q. You've been slaving away, working hard for a considerable time. I don't know if this is overdue or whether it's come as soon as you'd expected or what? ERNIE ELS: You know, definitely after the first week of the year, that was probably the low point of the year, because from 18 inches, I was dodgy. And to make changes that I have made, drastic changes in the putting setup, the grip and so forth, and now feeling very comfortable and confident, is an about turn, isn't it. I was really nowhere and now I feel like I've got some game. So really pleased with all the work, as you say, we've put in on and off the golf course. That's what you need to do sometimes, get your feet under you and get ready for the rest of the year. Q. Last time you felt this good? ERNIE ELS: Yeah, it's been awhile. I won in Munich, the BMW, and that's a couple years ago, and even The Open, but in the last year, I haven't felt like this. As I say, it's an about turn for me from where I was and it's a nice feeling to have. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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