Blowing out a knee ligament is a common injury in football, not golf. Plenty of data documents how long it takes for a running back to return to form, if ever.
The information is far sketchier in golf. Golfers don’t rip their knees with a misstep on the turf. In this game, the only contact is club on ball, not player on player, though Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson came close to blows last year at the Masters.
Ernie Els is searching for answers as he nears the one-year anniversary of tearing up his left knee while tubing in the Mediterranean. Rock climbing would have been a more exotic way to do it, but the effect was the same.
It has been a long road back for Els since his accident last July. He hopes he took a positive step Thursday with an opening-round 68 at the British Open at Royal Liverpool. He joins a convention of 13 players at 4 under par, two shots behind leader Graeme McDowell, who shot a 66. McDowell has a one-shot edge over a group of five players that includes Tiger Woods.
Being in contention hasn’t been the norm for Els this year. He has yet to post a top-five finish on the PGA Tour. In the year’s previous majors, he was tied for a mediocre 27th in the Masters and tied for 26th in the U.S. Open.
The South African’s world ranking has fallen to eighth. Slowly but surely, his name is starting to slip out of the “Big Four” conversation in which he’s normally mentioned in the same breath as Woods, Mickelson and Singh.
But for at least one day, Els, 36, resembled the player who has won three majors, 15 PGA Tour titles and 59 worldwide.
“I’ve been hitting the ball quite solidly,” Els said. “I did so last week (finishing ninth in the Scottish Open). I didn’t quite make too many putts. But I feel comfortable with my game. My knee feels fine, and it feels like I’m swinging almost the way where I’ve been at my best.”
It could be true about Els’ knee, or it could be wishful thinking. There is little question the injury continues to affect his game.
Els’ swing coach, David Leadbetter, told Golf World that Els’ knee “is about 90 percent, and the remaining 10 percent is in his mind.”
The combination has Els making adjustments, perhaps even compensations, with his swing.
“[Leadbetter thought] I didn’t quite complete my backswing because I was subconsciously trying to stay away from the knee,” Els said. “And doing that got me into those situations where I got into that classic stuck position. From there, you know, I hit it either right or left.”
Els also needed to work on his putting. When one part of the game is off, other facets are affected too. The putts simply weren’t falling for Els.
Els thought the problem might stem from his routine more than his technique. He has been working with mental coach Bob Rotella in recent weeks.
“I felt more comfortable and the strike on the ball feels solid,” Els said. “I’m trying to putt more like the way I used to putt way back.”
Els will need to make plenty of putts this week. Unlike the carnage at the U.S. Open, the British Open could turn into a birdie bonanza if the conditions stay favorable. Overnight showers helped soften the greens, but the fairways continued to run fast.
As a result, 91 players broke par, an unusually large number. Par won’t be a good score in this major.
“As the week goes on, we’ll see how the golf course progresses,” Els said. “If it stays soft, there will be a couple of 64s out there. It’s not the hardest course we’ve ever played because of the weather, but there’s enough trouble out there where it makes you really think on every hole.”
Els knows how to get it done at a British Open. He won at Muirfield in 2002 and lost in a playoff to Todd Hamilton in 2004.
Royal Liverpool could be the perfect setting for him to show everyone his knee injury is in the past. At the very least, he needs to start playing himself into contention to get a taste of what it feels like again.
One round doesn’t make a tournament, but for Els, it’s a start.
“My game is right where I want it,” Els said. “My putting is OK, chipping is OK. So I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.”
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esherman@tribune.com
