THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2008
SPORTS
>> PGA
9B
Els says three-year goal to dethrone Tiger in jeopardy
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Tiger Woods, right, winner of the 2006 Dubal Desert Classic golf tournament, shakes hands with Ernie Els on the 18th green at the Emirates golf course in Dubai, UAE, in this Feb. 5, 2006 photo. Woods won a playoff with South Africa's Ernie Els after they both finished at 19-under for the tournament.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — After one of his many crushing losses to the world's No. 1 player, Ernie Els once described Tiger Woods as a legend in the making. Woods was 24 at the time with only two majors.
"He's probably going to be bigger than Elvis when he gets into his 405." Els said after losing to him in a playoff at Kapalua.
Now if he can only get Elvis to leave the building.
Because that looks to be the only way the Big Easy can achieve his grandiose goal of becoming No. 1 in the world.
Whether he was simply trying to motivate himself or he truly believed it, Els said toward the end of the 2006 season that he was giving himself three years to reclaim the No. I ranking, a spot he has not occupied in nearly 10 years.
The demons were gone from 2004, when he had a chance to win all four majors and came up empty.
The scars were healed from torn knee ligaments the following year.
"It's a hell of a task, but I really believe I can do it," Els said on the eve of 2007.
Then he watched Woods win seven times, including another major, and build such an enormous lead in the ranking that a three-year plan looked of reach even in dog years.
"Let's get serious," Els said in a preview to his 2008 season. "I have got two years left of my original plan. I have got to start winning tournaments — fast!"
Then came another devastating blow in Dubai.
Woods dropped five birdies over his final seven holes, while Els twice missed par putts inside 6 feet to slip behind. Els' last chance came on the par-5 18th, where a birdie would have forced a playoff. He had 240 yards to the green, but his 5-wood caught a gust and found the middle of the lake.
Els had the 54-hole lead and was four shots clear of Woods until a finish that was all too familiar.
"I have to put behind me what happened last week in Dubai," Els said. "There's nothing I can do about it now."
Els has been runner-up to Woods seven times, more than any other player.
The knee is fine. The game is healthy.
The mental scar issue is another matter.
"It's definitely more mental now than physical," swing coach David Leadbetter said. "It's not as if he played badly. But when Tiger is in that mood, it's tough."
There have been plenty of audacious comments that relate to Woods over the last couple of years, and Els' stated goal to be No. 1 in three years has to rank among them. What separates it from Rory Sabbatini saying Woods looked "beatable as ever," or Ian Poulter saying when he reaches his full potential "it will be just me and Tiger," is that Els has a track record.
Since Woods first became No. 1 in the world, Elis is one of only three players to have replaced him, although for the shortest time (nine weeks). The others were David Duval (15 weeks) and Vijay Singh (32 weeks).
His biggest battle is against time, and not just the two years remaining on his goal to catch Woods. He is 38, and he doesn't have the body or the fitness discipline, of Singh, who played his best golf after turning 40.
But the bigger problem is Woods.
"We're in the era — probably— of the greatest player ever," Nick Faldo said. "It's a tough time for these guys. He is forcing players to change"
The one thing Els might need to change is his goal.
What also motivates the Big Easy is to win the career Grand Slam, which for Els means winning the Masters and PGA Championship. Right now, that would be far more realistic to attain than No. 1 in the world.
The sooner Els drops his obsession with Woods, the better his chances.
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