Els says USGA turned Open into 'farce'

TROON, Scotland - Ernie Els isn't going to beat himself up for shooting 80 in the final round of the U.S. Open, which cost him a chance at a third title and the No. 1 world ranking.

But he let the U.S. Golf Association have it - again - for the way Shinnecock Hills was set up in the final round.

"That was out of control," said Els, who made double bogey on the first hole and went on to his worst score in a U.S. Open. "I went from second to ninth with an 80, and that tells you how ridiculous it was."

Tom Meeks, senior director of rules and competition for the USGA, later said that an average score of 78.72 was not ideal and his staff might have done things differently if he knew the greens were going to dry out that quickly.

"But let me also say this," Meeks told the Boston Globe. "I think a lot of golfers lost their patience and gave up early in the round. I really think Ernie Els gave up after the first hole."

The Big Easy bristled when told of the remarks Tuesday.

"How do you give up?" Els said. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life. I've never given up on any round of golf in my life. If I did give up, I would have shot 100. ... They've lost the plot in the story. To take one of the best golf courses in this entire world and to make it a farce like that, they've got egg on their face."

BEN BASHING: Darren Clarke wanted to make sure people understood. He was in no way taking anything away from Ben Curtis. But ...

"This week the best player is going to win," Clarke said. "It's a stern test, and chances are it will come from the guys at the top of the world rankings."

Royal St. George's was certainly a stern test last year, too. Some players even complained the deep rough and narrow fairways made it unfair.

Curtis barely qualified for last year's British Open, then persevered when everyone else fell apart to become perhaps the most improbable major championship winner in recent times.

Still, Clarke seemed to be suggesting that the win by Curtis was more of a fluke than anything.

"He was obviously a surprise to a lot of people," Clarke said, "but he won the golf tournament."

VOLATILE PAIRING: Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn have had a few run-ins while paired together on the European Tour. The next occasion will come in the first two rounds of the British Open.

Both players downplayed previous incidents.

Last year at the Volvo Masters, Montgomerie missed a short putt and stomped off the green without waiting for Bjorn to hole out. Bjorn smiled and waved at him.

Then in Thailand at the Johnnie Walker Classic, Montgomerie was hacking up a hole and walked across the bridge as Bjorn was trying to chip. Bjorn glared at him, and they exchanged words in the scoring trailer.

What to expect Thursday?

"We dealt with it there and then, and it's over with," Bjorn said. "We've always had a good relationship and we will continue to have a good relationship."

In fact, they said they had dinner Tuesday night.