Ernie Els has endured some social media abuse recently for daring to speak his mind about the inherent absurdities of LIV Golf, and he responded on Friday by matching the best round of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship to move into a share of fourth.
The usual ignorant social media apologists were in full voice after LIV player Richard Bland opened the tournament with a seven-under-par 64 for a share of the lead, but they were conspicuously quiet when Els matched that score and outscored the English journeyman.
The four-time major champion and Hall of Famer – Bland has one DP World Tour title to his credit – got himself firmly in to contention in the championship at eight-under. He’s just four behind Bland, who has a one-stroke lead over Scott Dunlap of the United States. Chris DiMarco is in third on nine-under, and Els shares fourth with Brian Gay.
Els got back into the championship despite making a bogey on his final hole, the ninth, after a weather delay.
“It was tough,” he said. “I sat in my cart. I wasn’t sure. I had my own weather map out and looked like the two storms were coming, and I guess they kind of went away a little bit. Looked like we might have been off the golf course for two, three hours. But it’s always a bit awkward when you have it going and then you have to get away for an hour and a half. So it stopped the momentum a little bit.”
It was a round that started well and just kept going. “I really enjoyed the day,” he said. “I hit it nice and made some putts. All the nice things happened. I made a nice six-footer on my first hole for birdie and just kind of felt good. I saw the lines better today on the greens and then made some putts. Simple as that.
“I was a little off with my swing yesterday morning when we started. Made bogey on the first and second holes, missing the greens with my iron shots. It was really a tough battle yesterday just to stay in the thing. Could have easily been two- or three-over.”
James Kingston and Retief Goosen were both on three-under after the second round after rounds of one-under 70 and two-under 69 respectively. They were in a share of 20th.
Keith Horne had a one-over 72 and was on one-under for the championship in a share of 24th.
Adilson Da Silva and David Frost both missed the cut.
For Els, the weekend chase is something he is looking forward to. “I’m where I want to be,” he said. “I can kind of be seeing what the leader is doing tomorrow and hopefully I have a good round. He’s playing good. All the guys are playing well.”
