Els in danger of early exit

Ernie Els may have just set a new European Tour record for successive cuts made – an incredible 70 going back to the start of the 2000 season – but he was in severe danger of an early exit from the Nissan Open in Los Angeles today.

Three under par and going well after 16 holes of his first round, Els finished his opening day’s work with two bogeys and, on his resumption this morning, quickly fell away to two over and joint 110th spot.

Only the top 70 and ties qualify for the final two rounds so the world number four, winner of the title when he pipped Tiger Woods in 1999, really had his work cut out.

He is not used to crashing out early in America either. Since May 2002 he has missed only one cut and that was almost two years ago.

This is his first event in the States since last June’s US Open. The following month he suffered a serious knee injury in a sailing accident and the surgery which followed kept him out of action for over four months.

He has already won in his home country on his return, however, and two weeks ago was in a play-off with Woods for the Dubai Desert Classic.

His problems began straightaway this morning. He carved his opening drive into the trees, but unlike playing partner David Duval, who was even wilder off the tee, he could not recover to birdie the par five.

In the end he did well to scramble a par after going over the green with his third shot.

Els, like Woods suffering from a cold, then hit what must have been one of the worst putts of his career on the next. From 40 feet he got the line and the pace horribly wrong and failed to make the resultant nine-footer for par.

Looking to hit straight back he instead plunged into deeper trouble. From the rough down the 434-yard third his second shot hopped into a greenside bunker and was so close to the back lip his only option was to knock it further forward in the sand.

Els hit the hole with his next shot from the trap, but the ball rolled on four feet and he missed the return for a double-bogey six.

Former world number one Duval has shown signs of a revival in fortunes in the last four months after slumping outside the game’s top 500, and an opening 68 was further encouragement.

His first three tee shots today were all badly off target – two right, one hooked left – but after five holes he was level for the day, still three under and joint 16th.

Woods, who managed a two under 69 yesterday despite feeling distinctly unwell, did not resume his bid for a third successive victory this year until lunchtime.

Another late starter was Britain’s Justin Rose, who shared the lead with little-known American Dean Wilson after a superb opening 64.