Ernie Els Bit Quotations

Where they're tucking the flags, you can really look silly...you've got to maybe play a little bit more safe at some holes and I think I'll remember that for tomorrow's round. But I've got to be happy with that start.

Make a conscious effort to loosen your hands and let your arms feel soft when you're at address. Take the club back a bit shorter, and feel as if you're cracking a whip on the way down - not tensing up to smash something hard.

I worked really hard on my long game the last two week, especially last week. I'm working on a bit of a flatter plane through the ball. I got a little bit steep on the ball so I'm trying to flatten it out a little bit through the hitting area.

Today I was a bit more determined not to let it get to me too much, and I played a good back nine.

At the moment I have to stay off my feet as much as possible but hopefully I'll be fit enough to do a bit of chipping and putting soon.

It would be a huge confidence booster to win here. I wish I'd played like this last week. I would have given (Beijing winner) Adam Scott a bit of a go.

You probably don't hit as many fairway-bunker shots as you do the greenside ones, and that unfamiliarity might make you a bit nervous.

It's a bit crazy. Why call them World Championships if they're going to be played in the same place all the time? World Golf Championships are meant to promote the game all over the globe.

It's a fine line. When I did get a little defensive on 10, it really bit me in the behind. ... You can't get defensive. If you play away from the flag, that's not saying it's defensive. That's being careful and playing the percentages.

That little bit of rough, it's rough now. You've got to be careful how the ball comes out there.

I had a bit of a rough start there and made some good par putts on the first two holes,

I didn't putt well at all today. I had many chances but didn't take them. However, I feel I am hitting the ball nicely. My stroke feels goods, but I was a little off bit off. I must get into middle 60s to have a chance of winning.

The key is to hit the ball first, then the sand. Even if you catch it a bit thin, you'll still get plenty of run. Hitting it fat is what you want to avoid.

All in all, you know, it's very tough. Where it used to be kind of the most fun of all the majors, it's becoming the hardest one now. So it's going to take a bit of the excitement away, definitely.