Ernie Els drew on watching video footage of his 1994 US Open success to shoot a five under par 67 on day one of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

The four-time Major winner is among 10 players tied in third place and just two strokes behind England’s Ollie Fisher who signed for a seven under par 65 at the Doha Golf Club course.

Els has been struggling with his putting since a decision to abandon the belly putter after using the controversial club to capture the 2012 Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.

However over the Christmas break the champion South African golfer pulled out the video highlights of his first Major triumph in the heatwave conditions at Oakmont.

“Last year was a year to get back into the short putter,” he said.  “I was on the long putter, and last year I had to really convert back.  I started with a 37‑inch putter and I’m now down to a 35‑inch putter where I was back in my 20s, as you say.

“I’m quite tall, and I like to put with my big muscles, the shoulders and the elbows and so on.  And the way I was standing with those long putter, the hands were taking over and that’s when you start ‑‑ it doesn’t work that way.

“So in any case, looked at some old video from my US Open win in ’94 and it just feels really good.

“And for such a long time, I’ve been quite a grumpy guy.  I’m actually not a grumpy guy.  I’m quite a happy guy.  But when you’re not making putts, you can’t help yourself.  You can’t play the game if you’re not making any putts.

“So today I didn’t hit it that good with the irons but got the ball up‑and‑down.  I’m not feeling so tense and afraid of those short putts.  You know, we can play golf again.”

Ernie Els putts his way to a five under par 67 thanks to reviewing video footage of his putting in capturing the 1994 US Open. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)