Ernie Els kept American David Toms in his sights as Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and Germany’s Martin Kaymer fought to remain in touch following the first round of the 28th PGA Grand Slam of Golf at the Port Royal Golf Course, Bermuda.
Toms, 43, the 2001 US PGA Championship who replaced injured Louis Oosthuizen, the Open Champion, took advantage of his opportunity with an opening four under par 67 – heading the chase for the US$600,000 first prize ahead of Els (68), McDowell (72), the US Open Champion, and Kaymer (74), the US PGA Champion.
Els, however, demonstrated his desire and resilience with a battling performance under blue skies in the 36-hole contest on the 6845-yards, par 71 Port Royal course set next to the ocean.
“I felt like I left a lot of shots out there on the front nine,” Els said. “I’m working on a new putting technique but hopefully I will play well tomorrow then make a few putts. I’m in a good position, it’s a very good course and there’s a big gallery out there with a lot of enthusiasm – you can’t ask for more than that.”
The South African, winner of three Major Championships, launched his tournament with a 20 foot birdie putt at the first and moved to two under by holing from six feet at the fifth. Out in 35 after dropping a shot at the eighth, he revitalised his challenge with a ten foot birdie at the 11th.
Toms, however, had made birdie putts of four feet on each of the first two holes and with more birdies at seven and nine turned in 32 before moving to five under by hitting his approach to two feet at the tenth. He dropped his first shot at the 11th where McDowell, out in 35, took seven when his greenside bunker recovery flew out of bounds and he ran up a triple bogey seven.
Els, who replaced Masters Tournament winner Phil Mickelson and won this title in 1997, put pressure on himself with wayward drives into the rough at 16 and 17 but he recovered for pars both times. Then he hit a wonderful shot from a fairway bunker to six feet at the last – holing the putt for his fourth birdie of the day.
McDowell, who finished in style with long birdie putts at both the 17th and 18th, said: “I played pretty solid all day but a couple of bad swings cost me. I made a mistake at 11. I tried to hit a fancy bunker shot, tried to just clip it and clipped it out of bounds!
“But that birdie-birdie finish has given me half a chance. This is a beautiful course, in great condition – but it’s tricky with fast and undulating greens so you need to be in control. Birdies are hard to come by so patience is key.”
Kaymer, who failed to capitalise on a good start, said: “It was not the score I was hoping for. I didn’t play my best golf; I didn’t hit the ball close enough to the flag.”
