After his capitulation to Tiger Woods in the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday, Ernie Els will be looking to make amends at the Indian Masters that gets under way today at Delhi Golf Club. And yet while the world No 4 has to be considered favourite to taste victory – even with a strong local challenge – it would probably come with a bitter aftertaste.
Els knows that it will take more than a win here to banish the memories of a tournament that seemed to be his for the taking before he was hunted down by the world No 1, his nemesis, who had trailed Els by four strokes going into the final round before beating the South African by two strokes and Martin Kaymer, of Germany, by one.
A year ago Els had announced a three-year plan to usurp Woods as world No 1. Now, he would be wise to concentrate on his other aim of completing a career grand slam. He has won the Open Championship once and the US Open twice; now he needs the Masters and the US PGA Championship. “Losing to the world’s No 1 is no disgrace, but it doesn’t make it any better,” Els said. “I had a chance and I probably should have won.”
And did he go easy on himself after-wards? “No, I’m still pretty hard on myself,” he said. “The one I messed up in South Africa was really bad, too.” At the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December he found water twice on the last hole, had a triple bogey and handed victory to John Bickerton, of England. He must hope that such calamity does not become a habit.