Q. Augusta says the changes are done to put more of a premium on the tee shot, accuracy is everything. Some people say it is just length. What are your impressions having given it a crack?
ERNIE ELS: No, I think they did a wonderful job. I think you are right, I think the premium now is on driving. It always -- it has been in the past, but now you have get to drive it long and straight. Second cut, it is still there. A lot of more length, a lot more length has been put onto the golf course. I played it and I played it in a little bit of a breeze and I thought I played really well and I shot even par. Holes like 18, 1, No. 7 those are all great changes. No. 10 is a great change. 11 also you got to cut your tee shot there now. 13 I think is wonderful, you know, the fairway is there for your tee shot anyway.
Q. What did you hit on 13?
ERNIE ELS: Yeah, you really, you know, the wind was into us off to the left, so it was really hard to draw the ball. I hit it pretty much straight up there and I had 213 to the front, into the breeze, I had to hit 2-iron. You can still go for the green but you have got to hit a bit of a better tee shot now.
Q. Do you find yourself thinking more on the tee than you ever did? Before, was it a matter of power?
ERNIE ELS: Yeah, no, definitely. I think I definitely -- you really have to drive the ball well now. You have to -- in the past I can just hit it, go out there and it was a driving paradise. You hit it anywhere and you can have a shot at the green. Now you have really got to get yourself in position and take it from there.
Q. They always say, you can speak to this, that the U.S. Open is the toughest test in golf. Does Augusta now rival this, do you think?
ERNIE ELS: Yeah, definitely. I think they had to do it, you know, with all the changes in the equipment and technology and to put it -- it's always been up there, don't get me wrong, but the golf course and off the tees, I mean, the whole test always used to be on the greens and around the greens. Now it is everywhere. You have to be accurate off the tee. You have got to place it. You have got to really play well now to probably break 70 now. If we have a little bit of weather come through that week, it could be really interesting. You could see maybe even par winning if it's really tough.
Q. Do you feel that plays more into your hands given the whole view?
ERNIE ELS: I'd like to think so, yeah, I think it's definitely a tougher test now. It's definitely, you know, I think it throws a lot of other players out of the equation maybe now. Just because of the premium on driving and you know, really tests your all-around game now not just bomb it and then go putt it. You have really got to play golf now.
Q. You think maybe it's always been a course like you said where it's all been around the greens. Is driver maybe the second most important club in the bag now to the putter?
ERNIE ELS: Well those two are still the most important, like always, but probably more putting still, you know, those greens are so difficult to read. Just getting on the green is one thing, but then you have got to read it right and putt the right pace on it. But I think those two clubs are the most important still.
Q. When did you go and what were the circumstances?
ERNIE ELS: I went there -- I had two weeks off after I came back from Australia before the Match Play so the Sunday before the Match Play I went up there with a couple of friends and a member was there to play with us and you know, just played 18 holes and got out of there. I wanted to go see it. I heard Tiger talking about it him and Mark talked about it in the locker room. So I just wanted to go see it for myself if it was true, so.
Q. And it was?
ERNIE ELS: It definitely is.
Q. What did you hit in on 18?
ERNIE ELS: I hit 5-iron -- actually hit 4-iron over the green on 18, pin was back right so, should have been a 5-iron. 1 I hit a driver and 5-iron to the middle of the green.
Q. 5-iron on one too?
ERNIE ELS: Yeah, bit of a breeze into us.
Q. Will you play a great deal between new and Augusta?
ERNIE ELS: Yeah, I am travelling quite a bit, you know, I am going to Dubai next week and then come back play Bay Hill and TPC and then I will have two weeks off.
Q. This is 10th year as a pro or 11th year thereabouts?
ERNIE ELS: I see they have got it wrong on this board again. I turned pro in October of 1989 back in South Africa. They have got me as 1994.
Q. That's PGA TOUR.
ERNIE ELS: Yeah, but still --
Q. For the 50 years that you have been a pro --
ERNIE ELS: It's like Nick Faldo turned pro in England in '76 or whatever. He came over here in '88 or something, didn't he.
Q. Was he Rookie-of-the-Year that year with you?
ERNIE ELS: (Laughs).
Q. Were you more excited about this coming year than you were last year or less excited or about the same considering that you have been a pro now for thirteen years?
ERNIE ELS: I would say I am always excited coming into a year, but I think last year was kind of a difficult start for me after 2000. If I have to look back now. I played some decent golf in 2000 and didn't get much out of it. I think Tiger just blew us away there. And then last year, I didn't you know, I didn't play all that well, but you know, I really played good the last six months last year. So I guess to come back to your question, yeah, I guess I was not quite ready to get into last year's schedule as compared to this year. I have a really good off-season and been quite quiet you know, for about a month or so, so I guess I feel I am ready to play.
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