U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 19, 2004

Ernie Els

MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now on the podium at 3-under par for the championship, even par today, Ernie Els.

ERNIE ELS: It was tough today. I'm sure the guys will say the same thing, that the greens were borderline. They were getting away from us now.

It was a tough day. I'm very pleased with my score. I felt I hit the ball solidly again today. I made some really good saves, putts from inside eight feet. I was a little off with my longer putts. I gave myself some hard work to two putts on the greens. But you know, that's as hard as a U.S. Open gets right there. It doesn't get much tougher than that.

Q. Ernie, when you're hitting shots as well as you were today, like the wedge on 10, great shots like that, and can't get those putts to go down, how tough is that to handle?

ERNIE ELS: You hit good shots, and you like to reward yourself making the putts. I missed a couple, but I tried to keep my patience. I knew it was going to be tough for everybody. You're not going to shoot very much under par today. I tried to keep it around par or better, and I made a good save to shoot 70 today.

Q. Do you look at the scoreboard at all and see that of the leaders, it's you, Goosen and Funk?

ERNIE ELS: Yeah, I saw Jeff Maggert had a great shot; he was 2-under for 5. He was setting the early pace there. But this golf course is going to give you a little bit and take a lot. So you need to get off to a good start and try and keep it there. 7 is always unplayable, so I guess the majority of the field is going to make 4 there, which is ridiculous.

But the holes were borderline. You have to play great to make pars.

Q. (Inaudible).

ERNIE ELS: I'm a fan of the design of the greens, but if you're going to have the design, it's got to play a certain way. The greens have to be a little bit receptive. You have to hit good shots, because it slopes right-to-left and away from you. And where they put the flag and the way the green was playing, you had no chance. Vijay had a perfect shot; his ball almost stopped and ran off the green. They didn't quite set it up the way the golf hole is designed.

Q. (Inaudible).

ERNIE ELS: I was actually trying to keep -- I guess I didn't hit it soft enough.

Q. At 8, was that a misclub by you? You weren't going for the pin there, were you?

ERNIE ELS: It was a misclub. There again, the green is rock hard. You want to get it over the bunker, and I was probably off by two yards. I was very surprised, so was Ricky, that the ball didn't make it. That's one of those things. It was a mental mistake.

Q. Were you shocked that you could keep it under the cup at 10 from down there?

ERNIE ELS: It was the only shot I had. I took a chance and played it into the bank, and it worked out.

Q. (Inaudible).

ERNIE ELS: I've got a good chance. He's playing great golf; you've got to give him that. I've got to play my game, I've got to play as good as I can. And he's a good front runner, I've got to give him that. I'd just like to be in the chase, and watch out for me.

Q. How does this final round set up differently than The Masters, given the way the course is playing?

ERNIE ELS: Well, I think The Masters -- I think they did it right there, I really do. I think the way the length of the course and the way they set it up for us, we could stop the ball when you hit a good shot. And this week it's a lot firmer, a lot faster, almost reminds me of last year. And I think today was very tough.

Q. (Inaudible).

ERNIE ELS: I don't know. Yeah, if he keeps his health, he might win a U.S. Open. He's straight off the tee, he's got good iron play. Retief, he's got the perfect temperament and a hell of a game. We've got great players coming through, and it's good for the country, it really is. We've got other good chances, too. So golf is good down there.

Q. Do you feel you're in command?

ERNIE ELS: I'm feeling good, that's all I can say. I'm going to go get some rest and get myself ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the final day, and I'm feeling good.

End of FastScripts.