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VOLVO GOLF CHAMPIONSJanuary 9, 2013Ernie ElsDURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA PAUL SYMES: You almost won this tournament last year and have won at Durban CC in the past, so the signs are very positive for a good week. ERNIE ELS: I've had a bit of success here in the past, and really glad to be back, and yeah, I just flew from the cape down there with the family for holiday for the last month or so. We'll check out the golf course and see what it's like, and see what happens. It's a great event, great field, and nice to play four rounds of golf to start the year off, so we'll see how we go. PAUL SYMES: And last time you were here for the SA Open, the winning score was -25. Is that unlikely to be repeated this week, given the conditions? ERNIE ELS: It was four days, obviously a lot of rain, I played it too many times to see it that benign and that easy. So I think this week will be a little different. It all depends, if the wind blows, it's a really tough course. You see what the greens are like and see what the course is like. PAUL SYMES: Must be great to see Retief back in action, he's been away for five months. ERNIE ELS: Yeah, he's gone through a really tough time, the last couple years, actually. And I tried to get him to my back guy I used in states, but I think his condition was a lot worse. I saw Retief last year when I went up to the Dunhill, I went to go see Retief and he actually showed me what they did. It was a major surgery, and hopefully he's going to be good. In our sport with any kind of injury, to play with an injury, it's awful and he did it for a long time. So hopefully he's sound now. Q. Given what happened to you in 2012, how excited are you about 2013? ERNIE ELS: I am, I've got a great schedule. I'm really fortunate to play in South Africa, I didn't play here last year at all, and it's great to be back and to play here. It's nice to kick off the season here, and I've decided to go to the Middle East again. I haven't been there for quite a few years, either, and then we'll go back to the States and start our run to the Masters. Last year, winning The Open, it's opening doors for me again. It's a dream come true, and we've got some really nice things ahead of us now. I'm 43, I'll be 44 this year; nice to know that you can play in all of the big events. Q. You've come back to South Africa, one of your favourite courses, call it the grand old‑‑ ERNIE ELS: You said it‑‑ (laughter). Q. The course is looking much much better than it was in 2010. What's your expectations? ERNIE ELS: Well, when I walked in, I just saw Peter Matkovich and he said he's involved. He's one of the premiere designers and he knows how to grow grass. I've got a lot of confidence in him and I'm sure he's worked hard and I've heard you guys have had a lot of tough weather, lots of rain and heat waves and floods and all kind of stuff. So we'll see what it's like, and like I said to Peter, it cannot be worse than it was in 2010. It's still a great course. It will be nice to see the golf course in good shape. Q. WhatÂ’s your schedule this year, have you made any changes? ERNIE ELS: Yeah, I made a couple of changes. Starting here, I'll go to the Middle East, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Dubai, and then take two weeks off and then play L.A., the Match Play through quite a few in Florida and the Masters. So quite a full schedule, actually, a lot of golf. Q. Was there any reason why you didnÂ’t fulfill your criteria of European Tour events last year? ERNIE ELS: Well, I think I didn't play‑‑ I was outside the Top‑50 at the start of the year, I think Doral, and the Masters‑‑ yeah, forgot about that one. So I didn't quite ‑‑ and it was tough to make it up. And after The Open, I had a very tough schedule. I played the FedExCup and RBC in Canada and I decided to take some time off with the family after the Dunhill, I think I only played two events. Q. How much are you happy with your putting‑‑ how much are you working withyour eye doctor? ERNIE ELS: We're still in contact. No, we've got a long way to go. We'll go to the short putter in due course, so we have work to do. I haven't done a lot of practicing through the holidays. So we'll start working a little bit more seriously this week, and take it through the year. Q. Are you planning to switch back to the conventional putter this year or are you going to wait? ERNIE ELS: We'll see. I think the long putter has really helped me in certain aspects of putting, but I wouldn't say that when I was on with my putting, you know, a couple years ago, I made a lot of 15‑, 25‑foot putts, and you know, I'm not quite in that yet with the long putter. I don't know if it's forthcoming or what, but I'm focusing on making more longer putts. I think I'm better on the short putts now. And then in due course, we'll see when I'm going to switch back to the short putter. Actually I went to Johor in the middle of December and I played two rounds with the short putter. Felt quite good. We'll see. And then seems like I probably will make my schedule based on The European Tour. The last couple of years‑‑ I think it's 14 now. It's tough to keep cards on both tours. I've done it for most of my career. Q. What do you make of your form and your game and your confidence? And also with the background of the British Open, winning in come‑from‑behind fashion, what are you confident with going out this week? ERNIE ELS: As I say, I've had a bit of a break. I'm coming in here with a couple of weeks off but I feel good about my game. I played in the Cape and lost a bit of money to my friends‑‑ I've been shooting scores and I feel I've been hitting the ball nicely. Like I say, you have to get the rust off like everybody, but I feel good. Can't be overconfident but I feel good about my chances and I love the golf course, so that's a positive, and we'll see where the week goes. Got to take one step in the tournament and the next one, and then we'll see where we go. Q. What's your view of the long putter? ERNIE ELS: Well, I think ten years ago, I was in a differentview (inaudible) ‑‑ than I am now. For a lot of guys they thought it was a magic wand; you put your hands on it and you're going to make putts. But it's taken me a long time to get used to it. I was fortunate to win The Open Championship with the long putter. You know, making those putts on the final nine‑‑ I hit a lot of greens that week, but it's not a magic wand. You have to putt work into it. You have to get used to it. I've seen guys use it that go away from it, back to the short putter. So in all honesty, I'm not for it if they change it, but if so be, I'm not the rules maker. There are people that want to look after the game and the future of the game, and if they so feel that they need to ban it, I'll go with it, but I'm definitely not for that. But it's not the long putter that's banned; it's the anchored that's banned, but I'm not for it. Q. Have you given your views to the authorities? ERNIE ELS: Yes, I've given my views, so they know where I'm coming from, so when I make these comments, it's no shock to anybody. I'm against it, but, whatever they say the rule will be or might be, I'll go with it. I'm a golfer; I'm not a rules maker. I'm not making the rules. I want to honor the game, wherever it takes us. Q. Did you go to them or did they come to you? ERNIE ELS: They came to me. I spoke to some of them. Q. Obviously one of the highlights of this year is going to be your appearance as defending Open Champion and also last winner at Muirfield, so how do you feel approachingthat? Will you be doing something different going into it, and how excited are you about that? ERNIE ELS: Yeah, very excited to go back. I haven't been back since we won. Can't wait to get there to be honest. Obviously there's a lot of golf to be played but it's really a highlight of my year to go to The Open Championship at Muirfield, to go there as the past winner and the last winner as defending champion, it's awesome. I can't wait to get there.  That's really one of my favourite open rota golf courses, there and St. Andrews and Royal Liverpool, so looking forward to getting there. Q. Would you rather avoid a play-off this week? ERNIE ELS: I'll take it right now. To get into a playoff, you've done something right. You've had a successful event obviously. Everybody wants to win. If I'm in a playoff again, I'll take it right now. Hopefully the outcome comes better. But there's a lot of golf to be played and you could ask everybody that question right now. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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