LONDON - Ernie Els is preparing for a nerve-racking first round when he makes his competitive comeback after a knee injury at next month's Nedbank Challenge in South Africa.
The three-times major winner, out of action since twisting his knee on a family sailing holiday in the Mediterranean in July,
will return to tournament golf in the December 1-4 event at Sun City.
"I've got my comeback set for the Nedbank and, to be honest with you, I can't wait. Bear in mind I haven't had a job for the past three months," said the 36-year-old South African, popularly known as the 'Big Easy'.
"When I was playing golf last week, my swing felt pretty good. And I'm just about starting to get back some of the feel in my short game. It's going as well as I could have hoped.
"I'm going to be tournament-rusty and that first round at Sun City will probably be pretty nerve-racking," the world number five added on his official website.
"But I'm really looking forward to it." Els, who had initial surgery on July 28 before his anterior cruciate ligament was reconstructed on August 8, has made a faster recovery than he expected.
He had initially targeted the South African Open, which starts on December 15, for his return to competitive golf.
- REUTERS
