Posted on: Sunday, January 12, 2003

Choi closes in on Els, trails by 2 in Mercedes

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

KAPALUA, Maui — Just when it looked like Ernie Els would turn the lights out early on the Mercedes Championships yesterday, K.J. Choi fired Kapalua Plantation's inaugural 62 and the Big Easy made a big mistake.

Ernie Els was all smiles after holing a wedge for an eagle-2 on the par-4 14th hole in yesterday's third round. Eric Risberg • Associated Press

Today, the man whose swing is as sweet as his personality takes a two-shot advantage over Choi into the final round of the PGA Tour's first 2003 event. Retief Goosen is seven back. Sony Open in Hawai'i champion Jerry Kelly shares fourth with Chris Riley and Bob Estes and 2001 Mercedes winner Jim Furyk is alone in seventh, nine back.

Everyone else is under par and has at least a double-digit deficit.

"If it's blowing, somebody will have to really play well to catch us," Els said. "If it's not blowing, they still have to play well."

Els and Choi have played beyond well.

Els threatened to lap this elite field yesterday. He birdied four of the first five holes to open a six-shot advantage. When he eagled the 14th hole to go 25-under — flopping his second shot over the bunker and into the hole — he was six up on Choi and nine ahead of anyone else.

Els birdied the next two holes to go 27-under — one better than the tournament record David Duval shot over 72 holes in 1999. Choi miraculously kept pace, draining an eagle putt on the par-5 15th.

As he was closing with birdies on two of the last three holes to set the tournament and course record, Els was having his second reality check of a wondrous week.

The first was a double bogey on the eighth hole Thursday. The second was another double at the 17th yesterday. Els still does not have a bogey, but three-putts from the fringe on the final two holes gave Choi hope for the final round.

Els, tempted to hit driver on the 17th tee, talked himself into a 3-wood, fearing he would drive the ball through the fairway. He yanked his drive into the hazard. After taking a drop, his third shot stopped on the apron. His par putt stayed 10 feet right of the hole.

Leaderboard At Plantation Course Kapalua, Maui Yardage: 7,263 Par 73 Ernie Els -25 K.J. Choi -23 Retief Goosen -18 Jerry Kelly -17 Chris Riley -17 Bob Estes -17 Jim Furyk -16 Loren Roberts -14 Vijay Sing -14 Rocco Mediate -13 Charles Howell III -13 Gene Sauers -13 Kevin Sutherland -13 Craig Perks -12 Phil Tataurangi -12 Shigeki Maruyama -11 Jonathan Byrd -11 Also: Sergio Garcia -9

He missed that and another 10-footer for birdie on the final hole. It was the first par-5 he didn't birdie or eagle all week.

"Other than that, I basically did everything right," said Els, a South African who is third in the World Golf Ranking. "I had a good day. I had quite a fun day up to 18 — 25-under for three rounds, I think that's a personal best for me.

"The last two holes, I changed it a little bit. Only a two-shot lead now, it could have been four or five shots. It makes a bit of a change. In another way, it makes me focus differently tomorrow. I don't have to protect. I can go out there and be aggressive. It's probably going to be a good shoot-out tomorrow. K.J. is playing really well and I'm playing well."

Choi, who became the first South Korean to win a tour event last year — when he won twice —played brilliantly. He's gone 45 holes without a bogey and played both nines in 31 yesterday with a demeanor as cool as Els'. Kyoung-Ju Choi, who lives in Texas and practiced in windy Honolulu last week to prepare for uncharacteristically calm Kapalua, has got game.

Talking through an interpreter yesterday, he spoke of feeling comfortable to begin the day and more comfortable at the end. He talked about a swing he believes allows him to keep the ball in the fairway even when it isn't perfect.

Finally, he spoke of the joy he felt to be able to play with Els for the first time.

"Ernie is one of the players I really look up to," Choi said. "Instead of thinking about scores or anything like that I'm going to take it very easy, try and learn a lot from Ernie's game. I'm going to take the learner's position ... as a student would."

Els doesn't want to teach. He simply wants to win. He lost a playoff to Tiger Woods here in 2000 finished third a year later. That was the beginning of his first winless season in seven years. He rallied last year with four victories world-wide and captured the British Open in a playoff.

"I had some good tournaments here," Els said. "Guys out-played me down the stretch the last couple times. You can just go out there and try again. That's what I'm going to do tomorrow. Maybe it comes my way tomorrow. I'm feeling pretty good about tomorrow."

Els tied a 35-year-old record for most under par after three rounds. He could have been in a world of his own today if Choi hadn't been in a world of his own yesterday. Still, both will pursue PGA scoring history today, particularly if the winds hold off one more time.

The Plantation is there for the taking, as is the $1 million first prize.

SHORT PUTTS: Ernie Els' fourth eagle of the tournament left him 25-under par after the first 50 holes of 2003. He had only six eagles all last year. ... Defending champion Sergio Garcia missed an eagle putt on the last hole and still shot 66 to climb into 23rd. Garcia, who bent his putter Friday, used his father's belly putter yesterday. ... Bob Estes played one of six bogey-free rounds yesterday. He has gone 52 holes without a bogey and hit every green but two in regulation. ... Els is averaging 3.83 strokes on the par-5 holes. ... The Plantation played to an average of 69.250 yesterday, its lowest ever. The previous low came Thursday (69.361). There were only 43 bogeys yesterday, and 190 birdies.

• • •

At Plantation Course
Kapalua, Maui

Purse: $5 million

Yardage: 7,263; Par 73

Third Round

Ernie Els 64-65-65—194

K.J. Choi 67-67-62—196

Retief Goosen 70-65-66—201

Jerry Kelly 65-70-67—202

Chris Riley 65-70-67—202

Bob Estes 66-66-70—202

Jim Furyk 64-72-67—203

Loren Roberts 68-70-67—205

Vijay Singh 68-70-67—205

Rocco Mediate 72-69-65—206

Charles Howell III 73-66-67—206

Gene Sauers 65-72-69—206

Kevin Sutherland 71-66-69—206

Craig Perks 69-71-67—207

Phil Tataurangi 68-70-69—207

Shigeki Maruyama 66-72-70—208

Jonathan Byrd 68-69-71—208

Dan Forsman 69-71-69—209

Luke Donald 68-72-69—209

Chris Smith 69-71-69—209

J.P. Hayes 72-67-70—209

Jeff Sluman 72-67-70—209

Sergio Garcia 71-73-66—210

Justin Leonard 71-68-71—210

Craig Parry 71-69-71—211

Len Mattiace 75-68-69—212

John Rollins 72-72-69—213

Matt Kuchar 70-70-73—213

Nick Price 69-69-75—213

Chris DiMarco 70-75-69—214

Jose Maria Olazabal 74-71-69—214

Rich Beem 74-71-70—215

Ian Leggatt 69-67-79—215

Spike McRoy 72-71-73—216

Matt Gogel 69-75-73—217

Bob Burns 71-72-74—217

TODAY'S TEE TIMES

10:10 a.m.—Matt Gogel, Bob Burns. 10:20—Ian Leggatt, Spike McRoy. 10:30—Jose Maria Olazabal, Rich Beem. 10:40—Nick Price, Chris DiMarco. 10:50—John Rollins, Matt Kuchar.

11—Craig Perry, Len Mattiace. 11:10—Sergio Garcia, Justin Leonard. 11:20—J.P. Hayes, Jeff Sluman. 11:30—Luke Donald, Chris Smith. 11:40—Jonathan Byrd, Dan Forsman. 11:50—Phil Tataurangi, Shigeki Maruyama.

Noon—Kevin Sutherland, Craig Perks. 12:10 p.m.—Charles Howell III, Gene Sauers. 12:20—Vijay Singh, Rocco Mediate. 12:30—Jim Furyk, Loren Roberts. 12:40—Chris Riley, Bob Estes. 12:50—Retief Goosen, Jerry Kelly.

1—Ernie Els, K.J. Choi.