Houston, Apr 24: Ernie Els, one of the biggest hitters on the PGA Tour this season, fancies his chances at this week's Houston Open. The world number two has been averaging more than 300 yards with his driving since switching to a new set of Titleist clubs, and should have a significant advantage over most of his rivals at the ultra-long Redstone Golf Club layout.
Redstone, staging the event for the first time, measures 7,508 yards and is the second longest course on this year's tour schedule after 7,559-yard Castle Rock Golf Club, which will host The International in August.
"I don't know too much other than the fact that it is seriously long," said British Open champion Els of the tournament's new venue. "The back nine alone is nearly 4,000 yards apparently, which is incredible. But that's good. I'm hitting the ball great, and I'm driving the ball the best I ever have in my career."
Els was the game's dominant player at the start of the year, winning four times in his first five starts. Although he was set back in early March after injuring his right wrist while using a punch-bag at his Wentworth home outside London, the big-hitting South African has contended in his last two events.
He tied for sixth in the U.S. Masters at Augusta National 10 days ago and finished joint-10th in The Heritage at Hilton Head on Sunday, but was bitterly disappointed to falter there after leading the field with just three holes to play.



"I'm really sick about not being able to finish the job on Sunday, the way that tournament finished really hurt," said the 33-year-old Els. "But I'm playing well and I'm not ready for time off just yet.



"I was originally scheduled to take a couple of weeks off and head back to England for a break, but the wrist injury at the start of this month has put a different spin on events.



"I've worked so hard since then to get my game back in shape, the last thing I want to do is take time off and have to try to get my game back again when I return.



"So I'm down to play in Houston and really looking forward to it."



Apart from Els, the only other players ranked in the world's top 10 playing this week are number six and defending champion Vijay Singh, fourth-ranked Phil Mickelson and David Toms, the number seven.



Singh, who missed six events earlier this season after pulling a side muscle, romped to his first PGA Tour victory in almost 24 months at last year's tournament, closing with a four-under-par 68.



The loose-limbed Fijian set a tournament scoring record of 22-under-par 266 at the 7,018-yard TPC at The Woodlands course as he raced six clear of Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, who finished as runner-up after returning a 71 for 272. Singh's win was his first since the 2000 Masters, and his margin of victory matched the biggest in Houston Open history, equalling Jack Burke's margin over Frank Stranahan in 1952.



After being played at the TPC at The Woodlands for 18 years, the Houston Open has moved this year to a new venue specifically set up to accommodate the power players in the modern game.



Redstone Golf Club, designed by former PGA Tour player Peter Jacobsen and Jim Hardy, is described as a new "throwback" course.



"We built Redstone anticipating the distances guys can hit the ball and how much farther they'll hit it in the coming years," Jacobsen was quoted as saying on the official PGA Tour website. "You don't see guys hit four or five irons into greens anymore -- unless it's their second shot on a par five.



"We have a lot of strong par fours, but the fairways are flat and the greens are at fairway grade with openings to allow for different shots and for recoveries.



"My prototypical player hits it long and straight, like Ernie Els or Scott McCarron."


Bureau Report