MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIPS

January 12, 2003

Ernie Els

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Congratulations, Ernie, on being the champion of the Mercedes Championships.

ERNIE ELS: Thanks.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Great performance this week. You now have set the record in relation to par at 31 under par. Why don't you just begin by a couple comments on the week and then we'll go into some questions.

ERNIE ELS: Well, obviously, it's an unbelievable week for me. You know, the weather stayed away again. You know, I just played my game. You know, I think today was the toughest day of them all, you know, because my nearest rival was KJ, and I was playing with him.

You know, we didn't play very well the Front 9, both of us. I think we both were caught up into a matchplay situation there. We didn't quite play our games the way we did the week.

Through 9 holes, I said to Ricky, "We just need to step it up, start playing our game, and really go after the golf course again." KJ made a perfect start through to the Back 9, birdie-ing 10 and 11. From 12 coming in, I started playing my game again.

It was really nice to finish the way I did.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Questions.

Q. When is the last time you felt this good swinging a golf course over a four-day tournament period?

ERNIE ELS: I don't know. I mean, I've had some good weeks in my career. But obviously to shoot 31-under par, I obviously haven't done that - nobody's done it (laughter). That's kind of an understatement. Anyway, you know what I mean.

I mean, you know, it's a par 73, in the golf course defense. Really without any wind, it was defenseless all week. I really felt good with my golf swing. I hit a couple of loose ones today, a couple of loose iron shots. But, you know, nothing crazy. I felt in control. I really wanted to finish well. I because the pressure really started building on the Back 9 with KJ making birdies there.

Then, you know, I have to thank my golf swing, because under pressure it really stood up to the test. That's a good sign.

Q. Last two times you've played, you've won by eight shots. What does that say about the state of your game and how does that set you up for this year, do you think?

ERNIE ELS: Well, Sun City is just about my home golf course, so... You know, shooting 63 there that final round was really satisfying. You know, coming here with new equipment, new sponsors, new everything, to play the way I did, it really makes me feel very, very comfortable at the moment. I can go out there and really think about trying to play well in golf tournaments when I play, really look forward to the year now. You know, this is really a perfect start, really something I probably needed.

We'll wait and see.

Q. Does this send a message to the other pros, "Here I'm back"? Obviously, you won the British Open, and since that time you seem to have been playing well. You talked about what happened before and everything. Do you think now they'll be looking around their, over their shoulders at you?

ERNIE ELS: You know, I really can't care about that. I'm just happy I played well this week. I'm not trying to send a message to anybody. I'm just trying to prove to myself that I can play well, just keep improving on the things that I'm working on, you know, the mental side of the game, the physical side of the game. I'm just trying to improve.

Let's see where it takes me. I've just got to keep on working, keep my discipline. We'll talk later again.

I'm not trying to send a message to anybody.

Q. Were you aware of the record going down the stretch?

ERNIE ELS: Yeah, I knew about it because you guys planted the seed I think yesterday. It really plays on your mind, believe me. You guys just sit here and say things, but it gets stuck in our heads.

Yeah, when I eventually got to 29 under par, I started thinking about it again. It's nice to finish the way I did.

Q. Does it mean anything to you?

ERNIE ELS: I think in the long-term, yeah. Right now, not much. But in the long-term, yes, it will be nice to tell Samantha and Ben one day, if it holds up (laughter). Touch wood. At least I held the record for a while then.

Anyway, yeah, it's a nice feeling. Right now, it doesn't really mean much to me.

Q. They talk about athletes, sportsmen, getting in the zone. Did you feel anything like that where you were just playing along and everything was going the way you wanted it to? Over your years, have you ever felt in a zone?

ERNIE ELS: Well, every time I started making birdies, I was in a zone (laughter).

No, I've been working on some things. You know, shooting 31-under par, I guess you're in some kind of a zone. But I felt composed. I felt in control of my golf swing. I felt I was putting well. When you feel those kind of things in your game, it makes you feel comfortable. You don't get overanxious. You know, when you feel you're striking the ball well, all those things are there, you just go out and play. So that's how I felt this week.

Q. Is this the best you've ever played?

ERNIE ELS: Well, obviously scoring-wise, yeah. Driving the ball, yeah. I mean, this golf course was just perfect for me this week. You know, I could really go out there and kind of free-wheel it at times with the driver. The greens are huge. You know, with no wind, I felt totally in control.

You know, you want to say when you win a majors, you want to say you played your best then. But this is right up there. I think Sun City, I played really well down in South Africa, and this week, yeah.

Q. Having just walked off the course, does it feel like you won by eight strokes?

ERNIE ELS: No. You know, it kind of turned very quickly, like it did yesterday afternoon when I was looking like maybe taking a five- or six-shoot lead, then I made those mistakes coming in. Today it went the other way. I was just trying to grind it out, keep hitting good shots, trying to stay on top of my game. Doing that, it just swung it around the other way again.

No, I mean, I was still just grinding away, even 17 and 18, just trying to hit good shots.

Q. Is there a way for you to bottle this up and try to uncork it sometime down the road?

ERNIE ELS: No, no. You just got to take every week as it comes. I'm not going to play like this maybe the whole year. You know, you're not going to shoot 31-under par just like that. But playing the way I did, I would like to bottle my swing the way I'm swinging right now, my putting stroke, short game was pretty good. If I could just work on those aspects, you know, on tough golf courses, I'll be doing good.

Q. Not that you need more satisfaction, but you were third and second here in previous years. Winning, does that kind of feel nice, too, after getting close?

ERNIE ELS: Yeah. I mean, winning the way we did this year, you know, is very, very satisfying. I told you guys, I didn't think anything owed me, but it certainly gave me a lot back this week. You know, the golf course gave me everything back. Now that I lost by close margins, this makes it feel much better.

Q. After the 2000 duel with Tiger, was there a deflation factor at all over the course of the season because you played spectacularly and weren't able to win, just as this might kind of launch you in a positive direction?

ERNIE ELS: In 2000, definitely. We spoke about it the other day. Yeah, you know, if you're talking about the zone, Tiger was in total control that year. For an 18-month period, he was in absolute total control. You know, I think he won nine times in '99, then, I don't know, eight times in 2000 with three majors. I mean, that's probably the best year ever in the history of the game.

I played pretty well myself - maybe not at this level scoring-wise. He definitely, you know, shot us all down, and especially me. I was trying to downplay it the end of that year, 2000, but I think it eventually it took its effect on me at the start of 2001.

You know, I still kind of had a hangover from the previous year's defeats. I finished second six times that year. But that's history (smiling).

Q. Rocco was in here earlier saying there were no chinks in your armor, which is what people say about Tiger. How do you feel about that? If there are some chinks, what do you feel you need to work on still?

ERNIE ELS: You can work on everything still. I mean, I just got to keep grinding. I just got to keep working, just keep my discipline, keep trying to improve. Tiger is doing the same thing. So are other players. This week is past now, next week is another week. I just have to try to keep the energy, keep giving myself hundred percent chances. I just got to keep working on myself and my game.

This week, sure, everything went very smooth. But as you know, next week is a different week. I just got to keep working.

Q. You mentioned the word "discipline" three times this week. What do you mean by that? How was it lacking?

ERNIE ELS: You know, I just want to keep on top of the things that I'm working on. That's what I'm trying to say. I just want to try and -- I don't want to go backwards, I just want to keep going forward. I just want to keep working on my game. That's probably what I mean.

Q. What are you capable of?

ERNIE ELS: Well, you're getting deep, man (laughter). Gee, a couple more majors. That's what I'm probably capable of.

Q. That's as deep as you're going?

ERNIE ELS: That's it (smiling).

Q. At Sun City, you played your old clubs. This one is the first time you played with the new ones. Is there anything old in your bag old?

ERNIE ELS: My sand wedges. I started using the Scotty Cameron putter at Sun City. I put it in the bag again this week. And my sand wedges. That's about the only thing. Everything's new.

Q. Did you learn more from the 35-under you were for the 70 holes or the 4-over you were for those two holes?

ERNIE ELS: Well, definitely the 35-under, because it took a lot longer time to get to 35-under. But those doubles came not at good times. Obviously, yesterday's double really got me a little bit hot. You know, nobody's perfect (smiling).

Q. When Sergio won here last year, he talked about his goal of winning the Money Title on both sides of the Atlantic. Is that a realistic goal for you?

ERNIE ELS: I wouldn't say it's a goal, but it is realistic, yes. It's definitely not a goal of mine. I mean, look, Tiger could have won the European Order of Merit twice playing five events. I mean, it's a pretty big deal over there, but it's not a goal of mine. I just want to win tournaments what I play, really play well in the majors. Those are my goals.

Q. You mentioned Tiger a couple of times. Of course, we mention him a lot. Do you wish he were here this week playing this tournament with you shooting 31-under or does it matter?

ERNIE ELS: No (smiling). I didn't miss him, no.

Q. Have you sent him a get well card yet?

ERNIE ELS: No, he can take another month off (laughter).

Q. One thing, though, all golfers, any of us that have been around the game, watch you play, you hear that it's an individual game, you can't worry about what the other guy does, yet people seem to think about what the other guy does. Is that true?

ERNIE ELS: Definitely. I mean, we try and block it out of our minds. But playing the last round, maybe last two rounds, you're looking at the leaderboard, looking at certain players, what they're doing. You know, if anybody tells you anything different, I don't think they're being honest.

I'm just talking for myself now. You know, I definitely look at the board. When a guy gets hot, you know, guys that can really make a lot of birdies, you check what they're doing. That's why the leaderboards are there, I guess.

Q. It's easy to be in a comfort zone when you're playing the way you are. I'm wondering what this golf course contributes to that for you? What makes you feel comfortable here?

ERNIE ELS: Well, the size of the course. I mean, especially the fairways. You know, we've got a lot of room here. I've been waiting for the Trade Winds all week. There was a little blow the last two days. The golf course, you know, if you start getting the lines off the tees, it becomes -- the fairways become really wide. I really try to swing the ball with the slopes. Maybe that's why I also get a lot of distance. I think I played a lot of good lines.

Big greens and the grain. I read the grain very well on the greens.

Q. Does it matter where you grew up?

ERNIE ELS: Way back. But when I got into my teens in Johannesburg, most of courses went to bentgrass. But I grew up on it.

Q. Is it more satisfying to win at these outrageous numbers than it is to win on a course where par is such a premium?

ERNIE ELS: Well, this is a lot more fun. I mean, to make eagles, make a lot of birdies, hit short-irons into par 5s. Basically this is a lot of fun in a way.

You know, major championships are won with a lot of pars, where you can eliminate your big mistakes. That's another challenge. But this is fun.

Q. If you throw out the majors and THE PLAYERS Championship, is there enough of a balance on TOUR between the courses where you have to birdie every hole and the ultratough ones? Do you know what I'm saying?

ERNIE ELS: Yeah. I think they can -- definitely with our new equipment, new technology, I think definitely the TOUR will have to start thinking about lengthening a lot of golf courses, maybe really firming up a lot of the greens. That's one way of getting scores the other way. You know, when you start getting greens very soft, the way we're hitting our drivers now, we're hitting a lot of short-irons into par 4s, even 460 -- 470-yard par 4s, we're hitting 8-irons, 9-irons into it. When have you that and soft greens, a golf course has got no defense.

Q. Do they have to do something about it?

ERNIE ELS: They'll have to maybe get the greens firmer, higher rough, move it back, toughen up the whole place.

Q. Do they have to do something about the score when 20-under and more is winning every week?

ERNIE ELS: You can ask the fans what they want to see. But I'm sure from a players' standpoint, we all want the golf course a little bit tougher.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Going through the card.

ERNIE ELS: No. 3, I hit a drive, sand iron to about 18 feet, made it.

6, I hit a driver, about 40 yards short, pitched it up to about five feet, made it.

7, I hit a perfect drive, hit a really bad second shot with a 7-iron, pulled it way left. I hit a really good chip shot up there to about eight feet, missed that, made my bogey there.

Really good save on 8, hit it into the green-side bunker with a 6-iron. Hit it down there to about 12 feet, made that for par.

I think 12 I hit a drive, again about 20, 30 yards short, pitched it up to about three feet, four feet.

14, I hit a 3-iron off the tee, sand iron to about nine feet.

15, I hit a drive down the hill there, hit an 8-iron to about 10 feet, 2-putted for birdie.

16, I hit a drive 75 yards away from the flag, hit it about 10, 11 feet, made that for birdie.

Then 18 I hit a drive and a 4-iron, 2-putted from about 35 feet.

Q. Ever been at the bottom of the hill at 15 before this week?

ERNIE ELS: No, never. Never in my life. I was down there twice this week, though.

Q. Is that wind? Equipment? Is that the Big Easy?

ERNIE ELS: A bit of everything.

Q. You won three par 5s in a row, the final hole yesterday, the first two today, without making a birdie, after having either birdie-ing and eagled every one. Any particular reason?

ERNIE ELS: Well, I think yesterday it was just an effect after 17. I did hit a good 3-iron in there, but the ball didn't want to release down there. I mean, I had about a hundred feet to 2-putt, and I didn't do that.

No. 5 today, I only had a 6-iron in, I just pulled it. The putt was so fast, I just overplayed it, left it short, missed that. It was just bad putting.

9, I never hit it on the green in two this week. I didn't get it up and down today.

Q. So you 3-putted 6?

ERNIE ELS: I 3-putted 5 and I 3-putted 18.

Q. Do you have any idea when you will be able to drive the car you won today?

ERNIE ELS: Well, hopefully as soon as possible. I've actually just ordered one of those S-55 in London, and here I am winning an SL -500. I might have to trade it in or something (laughter).

Q. It will go to South Africa, the car?

ERNIE ELS: No, no, we'll probably leave it in Orlando.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Thank you, Ernie, for joining us.

ERNIE ELS: Thank you.

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