TROON, Scotland - Ernie Els was none too pleased to learn Tuesday that a U.S. Golf Association official believed he gave up during the final round of last month's U.S. Open.
Suddenly, the Big Easy became the Big Irritated.
"I'd like to meet the guy who said that," Els said. "How do you give up? That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life. I've never given up on any round of golf in my life. If I did give up, I would have shot 100. That's ridiculous."
Els, two shots out of the lead and playing with eventual winner Retief Goosen when the final round of the U.S. Open began on June 20, shot 80, his highest score in a major championship.
The winner of three majors who played in his first major at Royal Troon in 1989, Els said the Shinnecock Hills setup had deprived him of a chance to win. Els did not comment after his round, and did not play again until the Scottish Open last week.
USGA officials have admitted that they erred in not putting water on the greens, which led to controversy when 26 players failed to break 80 during the final round and nobody broke par.
But Tom Meeks, the USGA's senior director of rules and competitions who is in charge of setting up courses, said while the course may have been severe, two excellent players in Goosen and Phil Mickelson emerged.
"I think a lot of golfers lost their patience and gave up early in the round," Meeks told the Boston Globe. "I really think Ernie Els gave up after the first hole. He double bogeyed it. It's like he gave up, and that's not like him."
Said Els: "You know what, they have got no idea. They've lost the plot in the story. To take one of the best golf courses in this entire world and to make it a farce like that ... they've got egg on their face.
"That was out of control. ... It was really quite unplayable. I went from second to ninth with an 80, and that tells you how ridiculous it was. I'm disappointed at the way it became such a farce."
And Els, who finished runner-up to Mickelson at the Masters, said it was not simply a matter of him having a bad day.
"I was striking the ball so pure, and my putting was good," said Els, who has two victories on the PGA Tour this year and another on the PGA European Tour. "Everything was really falling into place so nicely. But I could see Saturday afternoon, I could see the golf course going. And we had that wind blowing, and then the next morning it was just gone."
TEE TIMES: It has to be a coincidence, correct? Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn in the same group for the first two rounds? Davis Love with Paul Lawrie?
Montgomerie and Bjorn, European Ryder Cup teammates, have had two high-profile on-course spats in the past year, one in which Bjorn mockingly waved goodbye to Montgomerie, who had stormed off a green at the Volvo Masters, angry about a three-putt. They also had words after playing together this year in Bangkok.
The Love-Lawrie grouping drew interest. Lawrie won the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie, where narrow fairways and knee-high rough led to plenty of complaining. "Carnoustie got the winner it deserved," Love said.
Tiger Woods is paired for the first two rounds with England's Lee Westwood and two-time Open winner Greg Norman. They begin play Thursday at 8:42 a.m. Florida time.
NEW APPROACH: Like for other majors this year, Mickelson has taken a different path, visiting the venue before tournament week to get a feel for the course and develop a strategy. He visited Royal Troon on July 7, the day before he was to compete in the Scottish Open. After missing the cut, he immediately traveled back to Royal Troon, where he got in more practice on the course Friday night.
Mickelson never has fared well at the British Open, his best finish a tie for 11th in 2000 at St. Andrews, where he was never in contention. He tied for 24th when the Open was last played at Troon in 1997.
"The British Open is a major that's different than the others we have," Mickelson said. "It's firmer and takes getting used to here. I've enjoyed having the opportunity to come in and try to learn where balls will roll and end up. And it's something that I probably should have done in the past, but didn't really know how to prepare the best for. And I think I'm a little bit more prepared for this week."
