Ernie Els Good Quotations

Mondays are a good day to make statements, not Friday.

Obviously, I've played some good tournaments in U.S. Opens. And that's the way I want to play this week. You know, not hammer your driver out there.

Obviously, the timing is unfortunate. Although let's face it, there's no such thing as a good time to get injured. But what can you do? I'm not dwelling on my bad luck. All I have to do now is focus on getting better, so I'm out of action for not a day longer than I have to be.

Obviously the timing is unfortunate. Although let's face it, there's no such thing as a good time to get injured. But what can you do? There's no point dwelling on your bad luck, or whatever. All I'm doing is focusing on getting better as quickly as possible, so I'm out of action for not a day longer than I have to be.

I wouldn't say I missed it, I did not miss it for a good three months. I guess subconsciously I knew I was out. I was going to be out for a long time. I think I just wanted to shut myself off. Not watch it or read about it or anything like that and concentrate on other things in my life.

From a good lie in the middle of a fairway bunker, I'll make the same swing as I do from an average fairway lie. I'll dig my feet in slightly and keep my lower body stable so I won't slip, but I don't change my club selection or setup. It's only when the ball is sitting down in the sand that I'll make some modifications.

Brushing up on your short game at the practice area is fine and good, but taking it with you to the golf course - when your score is really on the line - is another story.

Today I was a bit more determined not to let it get to me too much, and I played a good back nine.

I think I'm going to be in pretty good shape. I'm fine. I've just got to try to sneak something into the 60s this weekend and see what happens. I know you don't have to try to shoot 65.

I was very good off the tee. I haven't had many better days driving the ball here. Conditions were also just about perfect, too. It's probably the easiest day we'll have here.

Tiger is looking good after his victory in the United States isn't he. But I've won here before and I like the course. I feel comfortable.

We were sitting there talking, and I remember him saying he doesn't know what he wants to do, whether to turn pro or stay in school, ... I told him he was good enough to turn pro. He did, and the rest is history.

Where it used to be kind of the most fun of all the majors, it's becoming the hardest one now. Over four days of competition, it's going to narrow the field dramatically. You will be doing good to break par on the back nine.

When I stay athletic with good posture and get the club away in a good position, I get through it better.

I've been swinging good and hitting the ball really well this week and I'm delighted to be back in contention.

You have to go back, man. You have to. It's now in the hands of the black man, as it should have been before Nelson Mandela was put in jail. We'd be so much further along. You're from Chicago, so you know the really good things and the really bad things about Chicago. Johannesburg is a big city, too, and it still has a big city's crime, but less. Less. It's easing off. It's better. If you really know Johannesburg, it's a beautiful place. You have to come check out the change.

Right now, the putt on the 72nd hole, that's the putt I'm going to be thinking about. I hit such a good second shot and had such a difficult putt. If I'd known how difficult it was from there, I'd have hit it past the pin, which I tried to do in the playoff. I had my chances, though.

I've had so many good tournaments here through the years, and a couple of close calls. I've done almost everything but win.

I've had a couple of really good (Masters) finishes, so I know what it takes. And definitely, I have the game. Yeah, I'm still looking forward to winning that tournament.

I like the course, I love the way it's set out. It reminds me a lot of courses that I grew up on in South Africa. I've got a good feel for the place.

I had a bit of a rough start there and made some good par putts on the first two holes,

I'm feeling good and getting better all the time. I'm working on a few things to get my swing where I want it to be.

I just got beat. I played almost as good as I could. I've had some good weeks here. Obviously, I'd like to do really well this week.

Chad's going to be very tough to beat. It seems like he's gone up a level this year. He's almost a golfing machine, so to speak. He's a very good ball-striker and it seems like he's putting well.

It was a good finish, and I have to look at that positively going into next week. However, it was a tough day. I got off to an iffy start, but battled hard to get back to level at the end of the day.

The good kind of spin - backspin - comes from hitting the ball cleanly, then making a divot after impact.

All in all, it was a good day's work and my game plan really worked out well,

You can't really look at the rest of the field. You have to play the golf course and play your score and try and put something decent on the scoreboard and hope that it is good enough.

It's not the easiest thing in the world. Your mind can wander but you can't be afraid. It's a good test of character.

It's a great test. I think to have different winners like that shows you how good the golf course is.

I told him he was good enough to turn pro, ... He did, and the rest is history.

It's good to be back. I obviously love this course, although I haven't been coming here for four or five years now. But this place is good karma.

Got a lot of good memories from this place. I'm hoping the Blue Monster will inspire me; kind of get my game moving into top gear.