Maybe Els is not finished...It was near the end of the 2006 season that Ernie Els stated that he had a three-year plan to overtake Woods in the world rankings. Now, 15 months later, Els is third in the world but nowhere near overtaking Woods.
"I didn't realize that Tiger was going to win 10 times or more since I said that,'' Els told reporters, after winning the Honda Championship at perhaps one of the Tours hardest courses, PGA National. "I definitely said that because I really needed something, some kind of a goal for me. I could quite easily go and enjoy my kids and go build golf courses and stuff. But I really want to achieve a lot in the game and I still want to win a lot.
Els’ start to 2007 was not quite what he expected. He blew a four-shot lead to Tiger Woods at Dubai, then got blown out of the WGC Match Play Championships by Jonathan Byrd after just 13 holes.
But at 38 years old, Els jumped back on the wagon and came from 3-behind to win. That is the largest deficit Els has ever made up. "It has to feel even sweeter, you know, losing so many tournaments and one now going my way," said Els, who snapped a 0-for-47 streak in PGA Tour events, dating to the 2004 American Express Championship in Ireland.
Speaking about his 2006 quote, Els said, "I just felt that's the kind of goal for me to really strive for and practice for. So I'm not sure where I am right now, but we'll see.''
And who says it’s not time for the LPGA to shine the brightest...Competing for the first time since winning the ADT Championship in November for her eighth 2007 victory, Lorena Ochoa finished at 20-under 268 on Tanah Merah's Garden Course to win the HSBC Women’s Championship in Singapore, Thailand. The top-ranked Mexican star earned $300,000 for her 18th career LPGA Tour victory.
What a start to the 2008 season! Annika Sorenstam sends a wake-up call that perhaps “enough is not enough.” Then Paula Creamer wins the second event in Hawaii, announcing that she is America’s best women’s player.
Now in tournament number three, Lorena says, “Hello world, 2007 was not a fluke.”
"Sometimes there is just no explanation," Ochoa said Sunday after beating Sorenstam by 11 strokes. "It just happens and it was a great win for me. Everything came together at the right place." Ochoa entered the final round with an eight-shot lead, and steadily built on it through three rain delays. She passed the down time by chatting with her brother.
"It was more mentally a tough day than physically. You needed to be patient and not to worry too much, and hit the ball with precision," Ochoa said.
Annika finished second and won the “flight B” tournament, with Paula Creamer finishing third.
With these three women setting their sights on the World’s number one Carolyn Bivens, Commissioner of the LPGA and her entire staff have to be more excited then ever by the possibility of true competition.
