Bethesda, Maryland – Ernie Else appears ready to compete for a different type of major championship in Congress.
Returning to the course where he won the US Open in 1997, Els shot a 3-under 69 on Thursday, leading a two-stroke after the first round of the senior PGA Championship. Elles is one of the South African trio near the top, along with Keith Horn and Darren Ficcart.
Australia’s Cameron Percy shot a 67 and took the lead to one stroke before the horn, solely owning it. Fichart and Els were tied to third place along with Simon Kahn and Mario Tigiani.
It is the second consecutive major for seniors after Monday’s Angel Cabrera victory in the delayed region tradition.
“This feels more like a major,” Els said. “Last week they called it a major, and it’s just a great big championship tour event. But this has that feeling more. There’s a golf course with a history and there’s some fame here.”
Players dealt with wet conditions on rainy days, but Percy was one of the last groups, by which the sun was shining from one direction and a rainbow had formed in another. Percy said the rain earlier in the week prevented him from making a full practice round.
Percy, 51, also recently suffered a wound to her back.
“We’re all old, so it’s pretty stiff,” he said. “It was so wet on Sunday, I slid over the rocks and ruined myself. I was in physics for Monday, Tuesday, time, halfway and yesterday for another hour. It hurts a lot now.”
Percy started off on the back nine and took the lead thanks to two holes on the par-5 sixth Eagle and birdie.
The 53-year-old Horn has won nine wins on the South African Sunshine Tour, plus the Zambia Legend Championship last year on the Legend Tour. He stopped the wedge from 109 yards and took Eagle to par 4 8th place.
“I played the practice round on Monday and it was very scary to play the golf course,” Horn said. “It was a great help to get out there today and get a little soft and slower.”
Percy believes that his playing partner Soren Kierdsen set a high standard – he made two birdies with Eagle on the first four holes of the group. After turning 50 last weekend, Kjeldsen, who barely qualified for the event, made a double bogey on No. 8, bringing to 70.
“He made it look really easy, so I was trying to keep up with him to be honest with you. He started out fantastical,” Percy said. “Then he missed some putts. We were in the last group. The Greens aren’t perfect.”
Defending champion Richard Brand appeared in the 2-under group, while Vijay Singh withdrew from the PGA Championship last week due to injuries. Cabrera shot 72.