El (64) Gets Major Confidence Boost

On a course set up like a major championship, leave it to the Big Easy to make it look just that--easy--in the first round of the Tour Championship.

Ernie Els, a two-time U.S. Open champion wanting to atone for his dismal performance in the Presidents Cup, cruised around East Lake Golf Club on Thursday for a six-under-par 64 to take a one-stroke lead over David Duval.

“Hopefully, this is a steppingstone for better things to come,” he said.

Tiger Woods didn’t have a memorable round, just another shot that left the gallery buzzing.

With a tree behind him and 163 yards to the front of the fifth green, he whipped his body into a nine-iron that he aimed sideways with a snap hook. The ball stopped just short of the putting surface, and Woods then nearly holed the 75-foot putt.

He settled for par, which was the story of his round--16 pars and two birdies for a 68, which left him four shots behind and not terribly worried.

“This is set up a lot like a major,” Woods said after his 40th consecutive round at par or better on the PGA Tour. “You have to grind your way around. I hit some squirrelly shots out there, so I’m glad to be two under.

“I was about a yard off all day. If I can correct that, I should have a chance.”

Steve Flesch, who came within a seven-foot putt of getting into a playoff at Disney last week, joined Els and Woods as the only players to avoid bogey on an East Lake course with punishing rough and fast greens.

Flesch and Davis Love III were at 66, and Phil Mickelson had a 67. Thirteen of the 29 players in the field broke par.

Woods is trying to join Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead as the only players to win at least 10 times on tour in a season. Els has been his favorite victim this year, a runner-up to Woods four times.

But more than trying to beat Woods, the big South African simply wants to get beyond a disastrous performance two weeks ago in the Presidents Cup, when he became the first player to lose all five of his matches.

Instead of heading for the practice range, Els went to the Bahamas with his wife and daughter and had an ideal week. He won $400 gambling. He didn’t touch a club for five days. There was no television, no newspapers.

“Whatever you guys wrote about me, I guess you could have written whatever you wanted to because my play really [stunk],” he said. “I just wanted to get back here and get into playing golf again and try to enjoy myself.”

He must have wondered how this $5-million tournament would shape up after his first shot, a perfect three-wood down the middle, hit a sprinkler and ricocheted 30 yards backward, leaving him a downhill lie.

“I was a little worried about that bounce,” he said.

No need for that. He hit a seven-iron into 35 feet, made the birdie putt and rolled around the course where Bobby Jones grew up. Els played a game that looked similar to that of the guy who won the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1997.

He missed only two fairways and was never in danger of a bogey.

“You can play any kind of a major championship on this golf course,” Els said. “It’s going to test your whole game.”

Duval’s game held up as well, and so did his back. Playing in only his third stroke-play tournament since the British Open, Duval made three birdies inside eight feet on the back nine.

“My game is such that when I’m playing well, I control distances very well and I’m an excellent putter,” Duval said. “I’m getting back to that.”