Els, Goosen aim high in 2007
Brad Morgan
23 January 2007The latest world golf rankings make for healthy reading for South Africa. Six of the country's players are in the top 100, with Ernie Els ranked fifth, Retief Goosen eighth, Trevor Immelman 12th, Tim Clark 32nd, Rory Sabbatini 44th, and Charl Schwartzel 58th.
South Africans, however, look first and foremost to Els and Goosen, the only two major winners among the six, for more success on the fairways and greens of the world.
Last year was a surprisingly lean year for both players. Until Els secured his fourth SAA Open title in December, neither had claimed a victory on the two major tours, the PGA European Tour and the US PGA Tour. His win proved to be the only one managed by the pair, who share five major titles between them.
Els finished runner-up at the Dubai Desert Classic, third in the Open Championship, and between the US PGA Tour, the PGA European Tour and the Majors, had 10 finishes in the top-10.
However, there was always the feeling that something was missing from his game, that indefinable factor that separates the good from the truly great players.
Found his game
Towards the end of the year, though, he began to find his game, ending 2006 with four top-10 finishes on the trot before capturing the SAA Open title.
Goosen's year included a tie for third in The Masters Championship, which came after finishes of fourth in the BellSouth Classic and second in The Players Championship in the weeks preceding the event. He also recorded further top-five finishes in the Tour Championship, the Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe, and the BMW International Open, at which he finished runner-up.
Away from the PGA European Tour and the PGA Tour, however, Goosen successfully defended the China Masters title, which was the first time he had managed a title defence in his career.
Now, both players head into 2007 with optimism.
New
swing
For Goosen, his optimism comes from hiring a swing coach, and a change in his swing. In fact, coach Gregor Jamieson was already on hand when Goosen won in China in October.
After opening 2007 with a fifth-place finish at the Abu Dhabi Championship, he's hoping for bigger things, including plenty more titles to add to the 21 he has won in his career so far.
He says he really struggled with his swing in 2006, so he has implemented some changes. He's not expecting the results to be immediate, but is expecting that each tournament he plays will yield improvement.
Jamieson, whom Goosen has known for some time, doesn't travel with him, but the pair meet up when they can to work on ironing out little problems. Their next meeting will be in two weeks' time, after Goosen has played three events in the Middle East.
Keen to compete
Els' optimism stems from his strong finish to 2006, including his victory in the SAA
Open. He is confident that his game is in good shape. And he is as keen as ever to compete.
Writing on his website, Els - who, like Goosen, is contesting the Qatar Masters this week - said he cannot wait to get going.
"This is the first tournament of the new calendar year for me and that always feels like a new beginning," Els wrote. "I love it. I've got the whole year ahead me; so much to achieve and everything to play for. This is my eighteenth year as a pro, but that buzz never wears off, to be honest with you. I can't wait to tee it up this week."
After spending Christmas in South Africa and New Year in Mauritius, Els returned to his home at Wentworth, where he spent time working on ways to improve the West Course. But, with the Qatar Masters beckoning, he wanted to get in some practice time. Unfortunately, the UK weather wasn't co-operating, so back to South Africa it was before heading off to the Middle East.
Strong past
performances
Going on his past performances there, it is a place where Els has usually managed to get his season off to a fast start. In 2006, he finished as runner-up in the Dubai Desert Classic, after a playoff loss to Tiger Woods, and tied for thirteenth in the Qatar Masters. In 2005 he performed brilliantly, winning both titles.
Els reckons his confidence is back after his win in South Africa in December, and his game is feeling good.
Looking ahead, he says his knee injury, which required surgery, is finally fully behind him, and he is probably fitter than he has ever been.
"I feel like I'm re-dedicating myself to the game," he wrote on his website. "I noticed that a lot of writers and newspapers picked up on the quotes I made late last year about my three-year plan to catch Tiger in the world rankings. I stand by what I said.
"I mean, everyone needs motivation in their professional lives, to help push you upwards and achieve more. That's part of my motivation, along with winning some more majors."
World-class field
Both Els and Goosen will need to be at their best in Qatar. Apart from the two South Africans, there are two other major winners in the field, Michael Campbell and Paul Lawrie, who won the Qatar Masters in 1999.
Then there is Abu Dhabi Championship winner Paul Casey, along with fellow European Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke, Sergio Garcia, Robert Karlsson, Paul McGinley and Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, the winner of the event in 2006.
Add into the mix American Ryder Cup player Chris DiMarco, and the excellent Australian Stuart Appleby, and the Qatar Masters boasts its best field in the highest of the event.
Regardless of the all the big names, though, golf fans will keep a close eye on Africa's Els and Goosen because, after underwhelming performances in 2006 - by their very high standards - they are expected to come roaring back with a vengeance in 2007.
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