Els sets sights on Johnnie Walker crown

Although it was a dramatic and hard-fought victory for Ernie Els in the Johnnie Walker Classic 2002 Open and the fact that the magnitude of his Murfield triumph is still sinking in, he already has his sights firmly set forward.

A few weeks down the line, and with the end of a long season in the future not too distant, the full significance of Els’ British Open success still hasn’t sunk in.

"After winning a major you really need time to yourself and for your family, to get away from it a little bit, which I didn’t have the opportunity to do after the Open," explains Els as he relaxed during a rare week off. "By the end of the season when I’m in South Africa and when I’m really taking time away from the game, that’s when it’s really going to sink in."

As much as Els is looking forward to his festive break in South Africa, the schedule for 2003 is already taking shape as the Johannesburg-born golfer looks to close the gap further between himself and world No 1. Tiger Woods.

"I will start the season with the two US Tour events in Hawaii, then on to South Africa before the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia in mid-February." Champion of the Johnnie Walker in 1997, the distinctive tournament is an annual fixture on the playing schedule of Els, who is one of pro golf’s leaders in terms of air miles as well as wins.

"I’ve played in the Johnnie Walker almost every year since I started playing on tour in 1992. We’ve had such a great - and I mean great – relationship with the Johnnie Walker people. They do a great job running the tournament, the staff work hard and the social side of all Johnnie Walker event is always good."

Always staged at exotic locations such as Blue Canyon in Phuket, The Orchard Golf & Country Club in Manila and Tanah Merah in Singapore, the Johnnie Walker Classic has laid its hat at the striking Lake Karrinyup Country Club near Perth, Australia, where Els’ friend and compatriot Retief Goosen won earlier this season.

"I’m so happy the event is going back to Lake Karrinyup, enthuses Els. "The golf course is brilliant, it tests every part of your game, it’s always in excellent condition and Australia just knows how to give you a good time."

Once golfers are at the Johnnie Walker Classic they know the warm-up stage of the new season is over, and they cannot expect to succeed without their ‘A’ game. The timing of the event also fits in well as thoughts of the first Major of the year, the US Masters at Augusta, Georgia at the beginning of April, start to creep into the leading golfers’ minds.

A strong performance in Perth bodes well for Masters preparations as Goosen proved this year: having claimed the Johnnie Walker Classic, he worked his way into the final pairing of the last round at Augusta with Tiger Woods, and the 2001 US Open champion was unfortunate not to have claimed his first Green Jacket.

For reigning Open champion Els, the pieces of his jigsaw are falling into place and his career progresses apace. But, as you’d expect, Ernie’s philosophy is never to stop working towards the goals you set yourself. Three majors are in the bag, the arrival of his second child is just around the corner and then maybe there will only be two key pieces to put into place.

"It doesn’t get much better than how we have it at the moment, I promise you," says Els with a smile. "My family life is great and my golf is pretty good at the moment, but you’ve got to keep it up. My goal is to win all four major titles – I have three already and if I can win the US Masters and USPGA, then I will complete the set."

Sanctioned by the European, Australian and Asian Tours, the Johnnie Walker Classic is internationally recognized as Asia Pacific’s premier golf event and in its 11-year history it has attracted the world’s best golfers. First staged in Hong Kong in 1990, the tournament has been played in six different countries over nine different golf courses. Its illustrious winners include Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Greg Norman, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Michael Campbell and the 2001 winner Goosen.

This year’s Open winner Els won the event in 1997 at Hope Island Golf Club on Australia’s Gold Coast. A stalwart of numerous Johnnie Walker events such as the Johnnie Walker Super Tour around the world, the Big Easy will make time in his hectic schedule to play in the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic at Lake Karrinyup Country Club in February.