Els issues course warning

Tournament favourite Ernie Els pronounced himself satisfied with his first two rounds at the SAA Open in Port Elizabeth but then immediately issued a strong warning that the course was about to bear its teeth.

Els shot a 66 as he made his intentions clear, finishing alongside fellow South African Trevor Immelman, who celebrates his 27th birthday today, and one shot behind leader Patrik Sjoland of Sweden, who shot a 64 on day two to go to the front.

Els, who is desperate to win this tournament so as not to end the year without a victory, believes the last two days may well see the worst side of the links course which becomes desperately difficult when it blows a gale in the coastal city.

“I’ve got to be happy with my round, it was really calm out there today,” Els said after his 66 to go with his 67 in round one.

“I had a bit of wind on the front nine but it was a lot better on the back nine and I started making birdies there.”

Els was perhaps expecting the worst when it comes to the south-easterly that sometimes changes the “friendly city” into the “windy city”, as it is commonly known in South Africa.

“Yeah, she hasn’t shown her teeth just yet, has she?” Els said when asked about the wind.

“She’s a fiery lady when she blows and we have really been lucky so far. Yesterday there was a bit more of a breeze but today we had a lot of good solid shots to the green. You’ve still got to strike the ball well and play well to score well though.”

Els’ round included an impressive chip in on the 16th hole for eagle after a wayward tee shot left him off the fairway and behind a bunker.

“I hit a three wood and didn’t have a great lie out there. But it was one of those shots that could have gone either way,” Els added.

Retief Goosen atoned for his first-round embarrassment of 11 by shooting an eagle on the par-five 17th and finished on nine under, three off the pace.

Sjoland credited his year off the tour for his new-found form. The Swede lost his tour card last year after a disappointing 2004 but is much happier with his form at the moment.

“I was tired of all the travelling, after all I was on the tour for around 10 years and in a way it was nice to lose my card,” Sjoland said.

“It allowed me to spend some time at home and think things over.”