Ernie Els Braces For Awkward, Disingenuous Locker Room Compliments About The New-Look Wentworth
/
In justifying the overhaul of what remained of H.S. Colt's Wentworth, Els says it's a response to technology.
"This tournament is like a fifth major championship over here in Europe and the course needs to have a bit of stature and a little bit of teeth in it," Els said. "And I think we have brought that back.
"The players will have a bit of a shock but I am sure they will find a way around here."
And he has a supporter in Padraig Harrington (who also loved Liberty National).
After deliberately staying away from Europe's PGA Championship for two years, Harrington returned to Wentworth on Monday and was ready to congratulate Els.
"I have been very impressed," the Irishman said. "They have built a substantial course and we are going to see all sorts of drama from the players at the 18th.
"They are going to want to take on the water and by doing that they are going to bring eagle 3s and double bogey 7s into play which is exactly how it should be."
Thanks to reader Chris for Iain Carter's post on Els nervously anticipating player reaction to his Wentworth redesign, which he summed up this way:
There is no doubt that Wentworth needed to change and the European Tour required a genuinely modern test for the integrity of their top event. The old layout was outdated in this age of modern club technology, but it is also a shame that the traditional skills of being able to run a ball into a target have been largely lost.
It will be interesting to see how many players are critical of the changes this week. Some may keep their thoughts away from the public arena for fear of detracting from the European Tour's biggest week.
They are more likely to let Els know their thoughts and the South African is ready for whatever feedback flies his way, whether it is good or bad.
Alistair Tait talked to some players and no one was willing to go on the record with their criticisms.
The biggest change comes at the 539-yard, par-5 18th. An artificial water hazard – a stream – has been placed in front of the green. The putting surface has been raised and made smaller. Throw in cavernous bunkers and players aren’t going to be attacking this green with the same vigour as in days gone by.
You won’t find any player this week going on record to condemn the golf course; European Tour rules forbid players from criticising courses. However, the off-the-record comments were not good.
“I think it’s a travesty,” said one player.
“The old course might have been a bit outdated, but this is a bit too severe,” said another.
**It seems the main area of interest will be at the finishing holes and if anyone will take the risk of going for the greens, reports James Corrigan. After noting that Els is skeptical that the 18th will encourage anyone to go, he shares this from Graeme McDowell.
"It was one of the more dramatic finishes in European golf and it's sad in a way that guys are going to have to lay up," he said. "It used to be a great three. Now it's a good four."
McDowell sounded even less impressed with the par-five 17th. "It is not worth taking on in two, but then that's because they ruined the tee-shot a few years ago," he said. In his mind this new, tougher stretch means that players will not be able to make the giant leaps which were always so tantalisingly possible on Wentworth's Sunday leaderboard. "We won't be seeing a finish like Ben Curtis's again, when he finished with five threes last year," he warned.
