MIAMI, 13 April 2006 — With his disappointing US Masters finish behind him, Ernie Els has high hopes for this week’s Heritage Classic in Hilton Head, South Carolina before taking a month’s break.
Despite dropping back into a tie for 27th at Augusta National with a closing 76 after being in position to contend, Els feels he is close to his best form. “I really felt like I was close to maybe doing something special,” the South African world No. 5 said on his official website. “Unfortunately it wasn’t to be.
“I played a lot of solid golf and did a lot of things right in my game, but I made some mistakes and I wasn’t able to produce the little bit of magic that you need in the majors.” Still hunting his first victory of the year, Els plays his final event at Hilton Head until he returns to action in the May 25-28 BMW Championship at Wentworth, where he has his England home.
“It would be great if I could make something special happen this week and get back into my winning ways,” said the three-times major champion.
The 36-year-old, who missed last year’s tournament at Hilton Head, has a good track record in the event with five top-10s in just seven starts. “The Harbor Town Golf Links, designed by Pete Dye, is one of the players’ favorites out here on the PGA Tour and it’s a golf course where I’ve played pretty well over the years,” Els said.
Els heads a reasonably strong Heritage Classic field which includes six of the world’s top 15. Apart from Els, eighth-ranked Jim Furyk is competing, along with Chris DiMarco (11), Jose Maria Olazabal (12), Chad Campbell (14) and Tim Clark (15).
Spaniard Olazabal will be in upbeat mood at Hilton Head after vaulting into a tie for third at the Masters with a best-of-the-week 66.
South African Clark will also be oozing confidence after securing his highest major finish on Sunday. He spectacularly holed out for a birdie-three from a greenside bunker at the last for a 69, securing outright second place two shots behind winner Phil Mickelson.
“Hopefully my game gets to the level where I’ll look back and don’t want to remember the second places either,” Clark told reporters at Augusta. “I want to think about winning.” Victory this week would be a welcome bonus for the diminutive South African, a three-times European Tour winner who is yet to triumph on the PGA Tour where he plays most of his golf.
Australia’s Peter Lonard defends the title he won at Harbor Town 12 months ago by two shots from playing partner Darren Clarke of Britain and Americans Billy Andrade, Jim Furyk and five-times champion Davis Love III.
