BETHESDA, Md. – The Ernie Els at this U.S. Open is far different from the player who won the last Open at Congressional in 1997. He’s 41 now, not 27. He doesn’t putt as well. He believed then; now he’s hoping. He was in form just about every week back in those days; now he’s searching for his first top 10 on the PGA Tour since last September.
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- Fans look at the starting board during a practice round for the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Kim Dohoon of South Korea looks through binoculars during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Y.E. Yang from South Korea chips to the 15th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Hiroyuki Fujita, of Japan, hits out of a bunker on the 14th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Ryo Ishikawa, of Japan, drops his club after hitting on the 12th fairway during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Jeff Overton drives from the fourth tee during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Phil Mickelson chips on the third green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Brandt Snedeker, right, is watched by his swing coach, Todd Anderson, as he hits from a sandtrap on the practice green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Davis Love III chips on the practice green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Luke Donald, of England, walks across the practice green before a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Luke Donald, of England, juggles his golf balls on the practice green before a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Hunter Mahan catches a ball on the 6th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Phil Mickelson walks across the 6th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Phil Mickelson walks across the 6th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Scott Piercy hits out of a bunker with the Congressional Country Club clubhouse in the background during a practice round at the U.S. Open golf tournament at Congressional Country Club on Monday, June 13, 2011, in Bethesda, Md.
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- Padraig Harrington follows a shot during a practice round for the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Alvaro Quiros, of Spain, gestures during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Fred Funk grabs a club out of his bag during a practice round for the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Miguel Angel Jimenez smokes a cigar during a practice round for the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Brian Gay participates in a practice round for the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Angel Cabrera participates a practice round for the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Andres Gonzales watches a shot during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- Ryo Ishikawa from Japan is seen during a practice round for the US Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Monday, June 13, 2011.
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- K. J. Choi. of South Korea, hits out of the bunker on the practice green during a practice for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Ernie Els, of South Africa, reacts to his shot from the eight tee during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, reacts to his chip to the first green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, chips to the second green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, drops his ball on the first green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Fans line up along the 16th fairway to watch the practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Rickie Fowler hits to the 14th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Ernie Els, South Africa, walks above a small group of golf fans during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Dustin Johnson hits from the rough towards the 18th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md. Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Lee Westwood, of England, hits out of the bunker on the 11th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Luke Donald, of England, hits to the 11th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Graeme McDowell, of Northern Ireland, reacts to this hit on the 11th fairway during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Will Wilcox racks the sand after hitting out of the bunker along the 15th fairway during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Dustin Johnson signs autographs after a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Phil Mickelson signs autographs after a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Phil Mickelson signs autographs after a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Ian Poulter, of England, chips out of the sand along the 18th fairway during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Sergio Garcia, of Spain, hits out of a bunker on the 15th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Jason Dufner hits out of a bunker to the 15th green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Adam Hadwin, of Canada, watches his fairway shot on the 15th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Dustin Johnson watches his drive from the 16th tee during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Golfers practice on the 18th green of the Congressional Country Club during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011. The clubhouse is in the background.
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- Sergio Garcia, of Spain, laughs while waiting to hit on the 16th tee during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Padraig Harrington, of Ireland, chips from a sandtrap to the practice green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Fans look at practice round starting times in a reflection in the sunglasses of a fan during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Martin Kaymer, of Germany, chips from a sandtrap to the practice green during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
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- Ryo Ishikawa, of Japan, hits from the 17th tee during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament in Bethesda, Md., Tuesday, June 14, 2011.
As Els himself says, he hasn’t done anything since his third-place finish at the 2010 U.S. Open besides winning the South African Open late last year.
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Els said he left Pebble Beach a year ago feeling “as flat as I’ve ever been in my life … I felt I let one slip away.”
He arrived here the other day, played in shorts in temperatures he said rose to 102 degrees and is trying to snap out of probably the worst slump of his Hall of Fame career.
Els said his sense of urgency is “almost too much,” that he needs to dial it back. He said he has been lacking patience. He sounded like someone who has been trying too hard.
“My form this year has been atrocious,” the three-time major champion said. “It’s been a very, very weird year. I need to find a way of letting it happen.”
Els weighed in on a variety of topics here Tuesday, including winning majors and blowing majors. He knows about both.
“It’s belief,” he said of winning. “You’ve got to have that picture in your mind, a clear picture of you lifting the trophy. It’s a long, long journey, a long road to get to that Sunday afternoon presentation. So there’s a lot of ups and downs that you have to face. But at the end of the day you’ve just got to keep believing that it’s your week.”
Third-round leaders have shot final rounds in the 80s in three of the last four majors. Talented young players Dustin Johnson, Nick Watney and Rory McIlroy got experience the hard way, being impaled by a learning curve.
“You’re playing for history,” Els said. “Major championships, you’re making history. When you starting thinking that way, especially if you’re going for you’re first one, that’s when things can go haywire. (Problems can arise) when you’re really trying to win instead of letting the picture play out, letting things go. There’s an art to it.”
McIlroy, 22, is one to watch this week. He’s coming off a fifth place at the Memorial. Prior to his Masters’ brilliance and blowup, he had finished third in three of the past five majors.
The only thing McIlroy needs to learn now is to win. As talented as he is, as much as he has contended in majors at such a young age, he has won but once on the PGA Tour and once in Europe.
“He’s a future (world) No. 1, without a doubt,” Els said. “He’s still learning, he’s not perfect. But he can change history again. He’s got that kind of talent. When he breaks through (winning a major), it could open the floodgates. He could win many majors. But he’s got to break through.”
