ESTEPONA, Spain, (Reuters) – Masters champion Charl Schwartzel believes he can emulate fellow-South African Ernie Els and win the U.S. Open on the Congressional Course in Maryland.
“I like the Masters and I love the Augusta course, but I had always thought the U.S. Open would be the one that I had a really good chance of winning,” Schwartzel told Reuters on the eve of the World Match Play Championship yesterday.
“Ernie won the U.S. Open at the Congressional, so that’s a good enough spur for me. Doing what Ernie did would be a memorable achievement for me. And I enjoy playing tough courses like I expect the Congressional to be.
“There will be plenty watching me to see how I get on in the next major but I’m not looking to go out there and try to prove something. I’m looking at it in a more positive way. The fact that I’ve won a major is going to give me more confidence in the next one than I’ve ever had before.”
Schwartzel, 26, is planning to carry on South Africa’s great record in this week’s event, being held for a second time at the Finca Cortesin course on Spain’s Costa del Sol after switching from its traditional Wentworth, England, venue.
Els will again prove his spur. “Ernie has won this so many times (five successively from 1994) and Gary Player starred in it, so I’m hoping to continue the trend,” he said.
With storms forecast for the opening round, Schwartzel is wary about the weather.
“I can handle the wind and the rain but I do struggle when it gets cold,” he said.
He begins his group stage match today by taking on local favourite Miguel Angel Jimenez.
World number one Lee Westwood plays Dane Anders Hansen, while world number two Luke Donald meets the only American in the field, Ryan Moore.
