Opening honours for Els

ST ANDREWS Scotland, JULY 21: Ernie ELS set up a showdown with Tiger Woods after snatching the British Open first round lead from the wo...

ST ANDREWS Scotland, JULY 21: Ernie ELS set up a showdown with Tiger Woods after snatching the British Open first round lead from the world number one but talk of their rivalry was strictly off the menu for the big South African afterwards.

Els8217; six-under-par 66, including a rare birdie three at the notorious 17th road hole, pipped Woods and another American Steve Flesch on Thursday for the opening day8217;s lead by one stroke.

It sets up the mouth-watering prospect of two of the world8217;s top three players going head-to-head later in the championship but Els was determined not to look that far ahead.

8220;Guys, I don8217;t want to talk about Tiger, right now,8221; he told reporters. 8220;I8217;ve just hit 66, let8217;s talk about that.8221;

There was plenty to talk about.

Els arguably had the toughest conditions of about as benign a day as St Andrews offers 8212; the wind picked up a little after he started and the fairways were running faster than earlier in the day 8212; but he still bagged eight birdies.

The highlight was his three at the 17th where the twin terrors of a bunker from hell and the road behind the green greet the wayward approach.

Els hit nothing of the kind. His six iron was judged to perfection, drawing slightly into a westerly wind and coming to rest six feet from the pin. His putt for birdie rolled right into the centre of the hole.

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He could have bettered his score at the last with another approach to the same kind of length but this time his putt for a three was an inch out.

8220;That six iron was the shot of the day,8221; said Els. 8220;If you make four fours this week at the 17th you are the happiest man. I8217;m ahead of the game.8221;

After last week8217;s victory at Loch Lomond, Els is brimming with confidence. He has been working hard on his swing this year with former Nick Faldo coach David Leadbetter and has also concentrated on bolstering his mental attitude.

8220;I8217;ve got to believe in my own abilities,8221; said a man who has won two US Opens and 13 titles on the US and European tours.

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Someone mentioned the T word again and Els reluctantly dragged himself back to the subject of Tiger.

8220;Sure, if I play well during this week I will probably play with Tiger. He is a good friend and a hell of a player but I don8217;t even want to think of him right now,8221; he said.

8220;I8217;ve to play as good as I can and get stuck in. I8217;m going to give it everything I8217;ve got.8221;