Ernie Els the big question this week in Shanghai

The European Tour is in Shanghai this week for the BMW Asia Open, which tees off tomorrow.

And while the field is a strong one - Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, John Daly - perhaps all eyes are on Ernie Els. Not only did Els win the event two years ago (at a record 26-under par), but in my view he’s got to be smarting from last week’s Verizon Heritage, where he lost to Boo Weekley after the relative unknown Weekley chipped in for par on the last two holes of the tournament to win.

Els was right there in the wings. Luck went the other way.

Els, a three-time major winner,, has yet to win this year on the tour (though he’s had three top-three finishes). He didn’t fair well at Augusta National during the Masters (he missed the cut).

Then came last week, at the Verizon Heritage on Hilton Head.

“I had a chance to win last week, and I feel my game is very good,” Els told Europeantour.com

Just how well Els will do is hard to say: He only arrived in China today, after two back-to-back overnight flights (remember, the Verizon Heritage stretched through Monday this year), and will tee off tomorrow without even a practice round.

“Obviously, we’ve not seen the course but I’m sure it will be in good shape,” he said. “It was a long flight but we’re just thankful that we’re here. It was a crazy week, finishing on Monday and we’re here now. I’ve played the course before, so it’ll be fine.”