Els begins to show some dangerous form

IT wasn't exactly beer garden weather yesterday, but the men from the Southern Hemisphere still sat under the appropriately endorsed Murphy's parasol in the sunken patio adjacent to the renovated Woodstock House.

A photographer's dream shot, in a way.

Wayne Riley, the Portuguese Open champion, was there. So, too, were Wayne Westner, the FNB Players' Championship holder, and Frank Nobilo, the Deutsche Bank Open champion. And, of course, Ernie Els, the Buick Classic winner on the US PGA Tour. A happy crew, who all know exactly what it takes to win a title.

Els, though, is a "major" winner, and, given that the success was achieved in the US Open at Oakmont in 1994, the 26 year old South African is probably better equipped than anyone to assess the merits of Druids Glen which, this week, has been repeatedly cited as the sort of course the European Tour needs if it is to produce another winner of that event.

Colin Montgomerie has been most vocal in that particular campaign, although others have endorsed his observations. But is it possible to compare like with like? Old US courses and new European imitators? Would more of the same really help the Europeans?

Els, who yesterday added a second round 70 for a midway total of 143 to trail Montgomerie by five shots, acknowledged: "This is certainly an American styled course and is really nice, but it is new and hard to compare with the sort of venues which host the US Open. Those places have years on their side.

"The courses which the US Golf Association select for the US Open are 80 or 90 years old," said Els. "They are almost like the links courses over here; you can't build new ones to match; they are either there or not."

But would it provide the sort of shots European Tour players a la Montgomerie need to play more frequently if they are to capture the US Open?

"A few of the holes here are a little like Oakmont, and the way the rough is set up is also tough," said Els. "It would certainly help European Tour players if they had to play a few tournaments on courses like this in the run up to the US Open. It would be a help to them in that regard."

His mind, however, is very much on the Irish Open title; even if he is five shots off the pace. Els' eight shot victory in the Buick last month hinted at his return to the sort of form which enabled him to capture that US Open two years ago, but he attributes his feeling of well being at Druids Glen to the advice of coach Bob Torrance.

"I've got my swing back," he said. "I was clearing the way too quickly on my left hand, just collapsing it. Only a small thing, really, but I am glad it is sorted out and I am playing well again. We have just worked on one move and Bob has helped me a lot."

Els started to work with Torrance on Wednesday afternoon. "It is really great to get the swing back again. I could be leading this tournament. I really could. But I just missed so many chances on the back nine. I made one putt on the 12th, a 12 footer. But that was it, really."

As an example, Els indicated the 15 footer for eagle he missed at the 11th, and six other putts for birdie which failed to find the cup.

If the man from South Africa can get things to happen on the greens, then, who knows, maybe the Irish Open title is still within his grasp. Certainly, if Monty's assessment that the venue resembles a US Open one is accurate, Els is still in the hunt for the title.