Els gets back in the swing of things

John O'Sullivan talks to British Open winner Ernie Els whose 67 yesterday represented a return to form after his relatively poor form since Muirfield"I don't necessarily think they think the same way as the press about the Ryder Cup. We are all competitive. If I just look at the last one (Ryder Cup), at the end of the day you are going to do what you can to win. The singles that day was some of the best golf that you will ever see, the way the Ame.

Tigher Wood's refusal to kowtow to convention and the more Corinthian values of sport, when he appeared to choose financial reward at Mount Juliet over possible national honour at The Belfry next week caused many a furrowed brow in the media.

The world number one had stated he would prefer £1 million, the first prize in the American Express World Championship at Mount Juliet over a guarantee of winning the Ryder Cup at the English venue.

Ernie Els faced the same loaded revolver yesterday, his inquisitor wanting to know "when you opened your morning Times and read that Tiger would rather play and win here than next week, did you think, right thing to say or did it surprise you?"

The British Open champion ventured: "I think he (Woods) handled the question very well. It's a very good question, though. It is easy for me because I want to win this week. You guys (the media) seem to really enjoy writing about the Ryder Cup and make it seem very important as if the players feel the same way.

"I don't necessarily think they think the same way as the press about the Ryder Cup. We are all competitive. If I just look at the last one (Ryder Cup), at the end of the day you are going to do what you can to win. The singles that day was some of the best golf that you will ever see, the way the American team came back.

"They were going to do whatever they could to win. I'm not saying using the crowd but they just get so excited out on the golf course. I think that's what makes it so great. That's why I watch it for three days solid to see what the guys go through. I kind of know what they go through. It seems most of the guys want to make the teams and then when it comes around, it's one of the hardest weeks of a career."

Els though wore the contented expression of the lapsed golfer who suddenly happens upon his rhythm once again after shooting a five under par 67 in Kilkenny yesterday. The emotional wear and tear of his success at Muirfield and the fact he couldn't take time off in the aftermath due to long-standing commitments had taken its toll on his game.

The South African attributed his hiatus from contending in tournaments to the possibility "that I think basically I'm still on cloud nine". He is optimistic about the weekend, feeling the putter is the key to being upwardly mobile: the rest of his game is strong enough.

When Woods finally arrived into the media centre about an hour later, the question once again returned to a Ryder Cup theme, this time the Ryder Cup and the Disney tournament and their importance to Woods was the barometer.

He was forthright: "I guess from a selfish point of view, as an individual, I'd like to win Disney, but from a team aspect it's completely different. You want to contribute to your team, you don't want to let your team-mates down. I think the difference is whether I win or lose this week it is not going to affect the guys out there. They are not going to go out and say 'too bad'. If you go out there and play poorly next week and the team loses, you let all the guys down."

Woods asserted that in team golf it is more difficult to reconcile losing than it is as an individual failing to win a tournament. "It's completely different. When you're out there to play (team competition) , you're trying to a get a point for your team. There is a bonding (process) that occurs that week.

"We try to beat each other's brains out every week and suddenly we're team-mates and that's a lot of fun. Because of that bonding you don't want to let your team-mates down. It is a little demoralising and frustrating at times when you lose your match because you know you let them all down. That's kind of tough. If I lose this tournament the only person I'm letting down is myself."

Not much fear of that this week.