Associated Press
 Saturday, April 7
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Ernie Els already has two U.S. Open championships. Still, it's clear that something gnaws at this guy, enticing him like nothing else.

A green jacket.

 Ernie Els
A second consecutive 68 has Ernie Els in contention for the second year in a row.
Els, who came tantalizingly close to winning The Masters last year, put himself in position again with a 4-under-par 68 Saturday. That left him three shots behind Tiger Woods with a round left.

"This is everybody's dream," Els said, sounding as excited as he ever gets about anything. "I'm still trying to win here, and I've got a legitimate chance now. If you ask any pro, ask him what he really wants to win, it's a green jacket."

For Els, Augusta National has been an intriguing place since he first arrived in 1994. Right from the start, the dispassionate South African showed he had the demeanor and skills to master the course, tying for eighth as a 24-year-old rookie.

A few months later, the Big Easy won his first major title at Oakmont Country Club, beating Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie in a U.S. Open playoff. Three years later, Els triumphed in another Open, besting Monty by one shot at Congressional.

Augusta, though, remains a dream unfulfilled.

"To win a major championship -- any of the four -- is great," Els said. "There's definitely a different feeling about this place than the others."

Els has finished in the top 20 five times at Augusta, whetting his appetite even more. Last year, he closed with a 68 but squandered a chance to catch Vijay Singh, missing birdie opportunities at the final three holes.

"I've been in a lot of these where I've been in contention, especially last year," said Els, who finished second to Singh by three strokes. "I want to draw on a little bit of that experience. Hopefully I will get a shot. Even three, four shots behind, I've got a chance to win."

The highlight of Els' day was an eagle at No. 13.

He set it up with a perfect drive that cut around the tree-lined corner of the crooked fairway. From about 170 yards out, Els knocked an 8-iron to the left side of the green, 25 feet from the flag. The downhill putt rolled straight into the hole.

Otherwise, Els managed his round with three birdies, one bogey, the rest pars.

"All in all, not spectacular stuff, but consistent," he said. "It was a bit of a workmanlike 68 today."

Els has put together back-to-back rounds of 68, but his demeanor was much better this time. On Friday, he stormed off the course after bogeying the final hole, shooing away reporters.

"It was nice to walk off the 18th knowing I got the most out of my round," Els said, "for a change."

His performance this week represents a bit of a comeback. After a strong start to the year, including third-place finishes at the Mercedes Championship and Sony Open in Hawaii, he suddenly succumbed to problems with his grip.

Over the last five events, Els missed the cut twice and didn't finish higher than 25th. He even broke with normal routine and played the week before The Masters, only to struggle on a wind-swept course near Atlanta.

In British Open-like conditions, Els shot an 81 in the third round of the BellSouth Classic -- his highest score in eight years.

"I played really well at the start of the year and kind of started making some silly errors in my swing and got into some bad habits," he said. "My confidence was pretty low ... but it can all change right here this week."

Els is part of a star-studded leaderboard.

Woods is at the top, chasing a fourth straight major title and a place in golf history. Phil Mickelson, Mark Calcavecchia and David Duval are all within three shots.

"We've all got a fair chance," Els said. "Tiger is Tiger, and he's not going to back down. He's obviously the danger man out there. But there's a lot of talent on that board."




ESPN.com: HELP | ADVERTISER INFO | CONTACT US | TOOLS | SITE MAP
Copyright ©2001 ESPN Internet Ventures.
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Safety Information are applicable to this site. Employment opportunities at ESPN.com.

ALSO SEE:
 Birdie run gives Woods third-round lead