Ernie Els, who last week partnered Retief Goosen to victory in the World Golf Championship - EMC² World Cup in Japan, shot a second round 70 to lie one shot off the pace in the Holden Australian Open.
Els, who shared the first round lead after an opening 66, moved to six under par 136 alongside Geoff Ogilvy and Rod Pampling and one stroke adrift of Scott Laycock at The Grand on the Gold Coast.
After opening with six straight pars, Els bogeyed the seventh and eighth holes to slip back to three under par and five shots off the lead but then his a purple patch with birdies at the ninth, tenth and 13th and an eagle on the 12th. Two dropped shots followed on the 14th and 15th before he completed his round with a fourth birdie of the day on the 17th and another bogey on the last.
“I wasn’’t disciplined enough to play the holes as they should be played,” said Els. “Coming in, I didn’’t feel very comfortable, I think I lost a bit of concentration. Hopefully I can do better over the weekend.”
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