ERNIE Els believes he got two major decisions right after calling a penalty on himself in the first round of the BMW PGA Championship.
Els appeared to have chipped in for an eagle on the par-five 12th at Wentworth, but instantly realised he had not replaced his ball in the right place after checking to see if it was plugged.
The four-time major winner was therefore assessed a two-shot penalty (under Rule 20-7) and eventually signed for a one-under-par 71 to lie five shots off the pace set by Sweden’s Johan Carlsson.
“I pulled my second shot a bit left and hit it into the bank of the bunker,” Els explained. “I thought it was plugged, so I asked my guys (playing partners) if I could check it and they said, ‘Yeah’.
“I put it back and I hit my chip shot and I just felt uncomfortable by the way the ball came out. The ball came out way too good so I felt I didn’t quite probably put it exactly where I should have.
“Under the rules you try and put it back the way you think it should be, but I still felt uncomfortable with it, so we took a two-shot penalty. I know deep down the ball wasn’t quite where it should be and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”
Scotland’s Scott Jamieson, who was in the first group out at 7am and carded a flawless 67 said: “We had the best of the conditions, not a breath of air, and the greens are so good this year, they are just a great surface to putt on.”
Jamieson’s score was matched by Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Francesco Molinari, with Open champion Henrik Stenson and Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters part of a nine-strong group on four under.
Danny Willett, Justin Rose and defending champion Chris Wood all finished on level par, with Wood throwing his ball into the water on the 18th after a bogey six.
Players and caddies wore black ribbons as a mark of respect to the victims of the terrorist attack in Manchester on Monday
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