The Big Easy admits it’s far from easy
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Ernie Els doesn’t plan to relinquish his Open crown without putting up a big fight and though somewhat off the pace at +5 the Big Easy reckons he’s still in the frame.
The South African fired a spirited 3rd round score of 70 (-1) and has by no means ruled himself out of contention 12 months after winning at Lytham and capturing the 2002 Open on these links.
He says:”Hopefully nobody really goes away this afternoon. But if I’m within 6 or 7 shots, you never know. It happened last year. I’m not saying it’s going to happen every time, but anything can happen in The Open. Somebody can get hot from where I am, and if the leaders don’t get hot, you’re in the ball game. That’s what I’m hoping for.
“I’m a competitor and I’m not going to lie down until the 72nd hole. That’s just the nature of what’s going on out there. That’s what we’re trying to do and basically you’re hoping for the best.”
Els says you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth at The Open, adding: “It’s tough when you’ve won and you had a lot of things going your way, and then the next year you don’t get the bounces. But that’s links golf.
But I would say I was quite frustrated yesterday, because I felt I played quite well and didn’t get much out of it. But for the most part, today was kind of the same story, but didn’t make as many mistakes.”
The Big Easy may be down, but he’s definitely not yet out…
