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COMMERCIAL BANK QATAR MASTERSJanuary 22, 2013Ernie ElsDOHA, QATAR MICHAEL GIBBONS: Welcome. Thanks for joining us, as always. Quickly give us your sort of thoughts and feelings about the week ahead, coming back here as a former winner in 2005. ERNIE ELS: Yeah, I know, it's obviously great to be back. I haven't been back for a couple of years now. I moved to Florida. I always used to start in the Middle East but since moving to Florida, I've started my season in the States the last couple of years. So really good to be back. Obviously can't believe, '05, went so fast that I won here, but it's wonderful to be back. Seeing Doha really growing now, and I'm staying at the Ritz again this year, so it's nice to see familiar places and stuff that I used to do in the past.  Looking forward to a good week. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Quickly give us your memories of '05 and the win. ERNIE ELS: In '05, I won in Dubai and then I came here, I think still a bit of a hangover after Dubai and the first two rounds I wasn't that good, and then I played a really good weekend. I think I shot 65 or something on the final day. That was really nice. I remember playing good golf after that, too. I remember I was close when Retief won one year. So this is one of the tougher courses on the Middle Eastern swing. This golf course always plays quite difficult. The wind blows a bit more here normally, so scoring can be difficult. So to finish under 70, you have to play well. Q. Who would you say are the favourites this week? ERNIE ELS: Well, I think you have to bring your game here. Anybody that's had a good start to the year or has got a bit of game. I think all of the guys are quality players the guys in the field, anybody can win. But of the star players, Louis is bringing great form in here. You know, you have to drive the ball well, you have to iron it well, you have to short game it well; your whole game has to be up to a great test. So anybody with a strong game and who is on form. But I think Louis is probably the favorite this week, and Sergio. Sergio, last time he played, he won in Johor. Q. What are the keys to playing the course? ERNIE ELS: There's a lot of doglegs, a lot of angles‑‑ not necessarily doglegs. You have to move the ball left‑to‑right and right‑to‑left. A lot of golf courses, you move it one here and here you have to move it both ways. Driving the ball is key and as I say, conditions get quite tough and the wind can test your game and the greens get pretty firm. So moving the ball both ways is important. Q. Having got such a boost from winning the Open last year, how does that set you up for the year ahead? ERNIE ELS: Yeah, I know, I had a nice off‑season, didn't do much in the so‑called silly season, October, November December, only played twice, HSBC and Johor. So I'm fresh. I had a great time in South Africa down on the beach. You know, just kind of finding my feet now for the new year. I haven't really had a low round yet but I've played decent golf, especially last week. So I'm looking forward to some good stuff. I've got a nice schedule from here on. I'm going to the U.S. and then getting ready for the Masters, so I'm playing quite a bit of golf over there. I'm really looking forward to a good year I would say. MICHAEL GIBBONS: Thank you. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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