Ernie Els Playing Quotations

Contours on the second half of a long putt have more impact on how the ball rolls because it's going slower. Adjust your speed if that last part is playing uphill or downhill. Don't get fooled by an early slope or break.

No. 11 is almost playing like a par-5. In years past, when you came in with 7-irons, you were more aggressive. With a 4-iron, you're not that aggressive.

I actually feel pretty nervous about playing again, ... I've spoken to a few guys who had a similar experience to me, with not being able to play because of injury. They all said the same thing. When you come back, there's that extra element of the unknown, which we're not used to. But nerves aren't a bad thing.

He just makes this place better every year. The golf course keeps improving, the quality of the way they present the golf course gets better all the time, and I think this year is no different. It's just great playing on a golf course like this. He runs a great show.

It is easy to blame it on the schedule and it seems like, especially in America, the journalists have been playing a lot on that,

I think most amateurs dread playing a 180-plus-yard par 3 even more than a hard par 4. Part of it is psychological: You think you should be getting a breather, distance-wise, and instead, you get hit with a long iron or hybrid shot over trouble.

I was very nervous at the start of the round, I almost felt like I was teeing-off at the Masters or something. But after three holes I managed to settle down and started playing better.

Tiger is not playing as well as he did then. Guys like Vijay, Phil (Mickelson), Davis (Love) and me have elevated a little bit, and the gap has closed a bit. I think guys get to the first tee and really believe they can win with Tiger in the field. Golf will humble the best of them and that's where we are.

I've been playing consistently well for three years now, but Tiger's record speaks for itself - eight majors.

I've won tournaments in Europe, Asia and America and I think playing around the world has really helped me game playing in different conditions, not just one-dimensional golf.

Thanks for bringing that up, I never thought of it. When you play golf tournaments you never think about it. When you are playing you try and be ready with your total game and when that is well groomed and practiced you are ready for the tournament. That has always been my philosophy.

I've had some top-10s, so I've played well here, but it's a course that I feel I can keep playing well,

Before the injury, I had been playing professional golf for the best part of 16 years without any really long breaks. The last time I had a long break was in 2001 when I was out for five or six weeks with a back injury.

It's a fine line. When I did get a little defensive on 10, it really bit me in the behind. ... You can't get defensive. If you play away from the flag, that's not saying it's defensive. That's being careful and playing the percentages.