If you have used the site before you will no doubt have noticed the bright new livery. Over the coming weeks we will be introducing the new page format throughout the site so would ask that you bear with us while the changes are carried out. World number four Ernie Els is hopeful of a strong start when the 2008 European Tour begins with the HSBC Champions event on Thursday.
Els failed to make the cut at the Singapore Open and is looking for an improvement in Shanghai.
"After last week I want to play a lot better, so I'm motivated," he said.
Tiger Woods misses the event for the first time, but Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen and Vijay Singh are all in an elite 89-man field.
Colin Montgomerie became embroiled in a war of words with 38-year-old Els after suggesting the South African was wrong to play on the Asian Tour instead of playing at last week's Tour final in Valderrama, where he had the chance to secure the Order of Merit.
"I am still very disappointed that we had to events like that head-to-head against each other," Els insisted. "I was caught between a rock and a hard place but I had to honour my commitment."
Els failed to make the cut at the Singapore Open and is looking for an improvement in Shanghai.
"After last week I want to play a lot better, so I'm motivated," he said.
Tiger Woods misses the event for the first time, but Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen and Vijay Singh are all in an elite 89-man field.
Colin Montgomerie became embroiled in a war of words with 38-year-old Els after suggesting the South African was wrong to play on the Asian Tour instead of playing at last week's Tour final in Valderrama, where he had the chance to secure the Order of Merit.
"I am still very disappointed that we had to events like that head-to-head against each other," Els insisted. "I was caught between a rock and a hard place but I had to honour my commitment."
To compound matters, Els suffered food poisoning in Singapore and struggled to rounds of 72 and 76 and the igno
miny of the halfway axe.
"That's the game of golf. I had a weird week with everything that happened in Europe and eating the wrong food meant I had a tough week," he lamented.
"But I am experienced enough. I have had difficult weeks before and I just have to forget about it and go on. I am looking to just concentrate on the golf this week and hopefully do a bit better."
Open champion Harrington was also in contention for the Order of Merit going into the final event, but finished in a share of fourth at Valderrama to end in third place in the money list behind Justin Rose, who is not playing this week, and Els.
There's a keen sense to get off to a good start and get going in the race
Ireland's Padraig Harrington
"I came up short at the very end, but I went into it under the spotlight aiming to perform and get myself in position and, but for a couple of putts, I would have been there or thereabouts," the Irishman commented.
"After coming very close on the Order of Merit, and this week being the first event of the 2008 Order of Merit, there's a keen sense to get off to a good start and get going in the race.
"I'm a little jet-lagged, but I am well motivated for this week. Losing out last week has got me very keen to start well this year. "I feel better than I did towards the end of last summer; I wasn't 100% strong through September, but I feel ready to go now.
"I've played the course the last couple of years and I'm very familiar with it. There's a bit more rough this year, but I think one round in the Pro-Am is enough in the context that I know it from previous years."
miny of the halfway axe."That's the game of golf. I had a weird week with everything that happened in Europe and eating the wrong food meant I had a tough week," he lamented.
"But I am experienced enough. I have had difficult weeks before and I just have to forget about it and go on. I am looking to just concentrate on the golf this week and hopefully do a bit better."
Open champion Harrington was also in contention for the Order of Merit going into the final event, but finished in a share of fourth at Valderrama to end in third place in the money list behind Justin Rose, who is not playing this week, and Els.
There's a keen sense to get off to a good start and get going in the race
Ireland's Padraig Harrington
"I came up short at the very end, but I went into it under the spotlight aiming to perform and get myself in position and, but for a couple of putts, I would have been there or thereabouts," the Irishman commented.
"After coming very close on the Order of Merit, and this week being the first event of the 2008 Order of Merit, there's a keen sense to get off to a good start and get going in the race.
"I'm a little jet-lagged, but I am well motivated for this week. Losing out last week has got me very keen to start well this year. "I feel better than I did towards the end of last summer; I wasn't 100% strong through September, but I feel ready to go now.
"I've played the course the last couple of years and I'm very familiar with it. There's a bit more rough this year, but I think one round in the Pro-Am is enough in the context that I know it from previous years."
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