“I couldn’t kind of get myself going”, said Els, who missed the cut for the sixth time in 22 Masters appearances.
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Ernie Els sensationally took six putts from two feet on the opening hole of The Masters to record a nine – the worst first-hole score in the tournament’s history.
Els, 46, a World Golf Hall of Famer who has won four major championships, 6-putted the first green at Augusta National after chipping from off the green to within 3 feet for what appeared to be an easy par. Four had scored an 8.
Els’ struggles with the putter go way back. It was as if his brain and body lost all connection. It’s unexplainable. You know, a lot of people have stopped playing the game, you know, getting that feeling. I didn’t realise he was fighting stuff like that upstairs with the putter.
“I just want Ernie to get back to what he used to do and hopefully start playing some good golf again and move on and get past this, because if he does get past it it’s going to make him stronger, and it always does”. “I would have taken even par to start the day”.
“I tried to fight” -Els finished with a eight-over 80 to share 81st in a field of 89. “I could go on the practice putting green and make 20 straight three-footers”. That matched His previous high Masters score from 1999.
Els’ chip barely reached the green and he still had 47 feet from the pin. There were no lip-outs. On this fifth try, he merely raked the ball and stubbed it past. This led his father Neels and fellow South African golfer Nico van Rensburg to urge Els to switch an unconventional putting grip where his left hand is placed below the right.
Will the three-time Masters victor change his strategy now? “Now I’m not quite sure why that works but if you watch Jordan today there is something to it”.
Ernie Els’ par putt on the 18th hole Thursday was of the three-feet “I’ll just clean this up” variety. He overcame them and is now, statistically, one of the best putters on the PGA Tour. Hoffman also birdied the par-5 15th and shot 1-under 71 to get into a tie for 13th.
But, despite dropping two shots in his last three holes to card an opening 70, Rory McIlroy was optimistic about his chances of claiming a first green jacket to complete the career grand slam.
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“I said it might have been the hardest shot I ever hit, trying to follow them”.
