Ellis flies the flag

For Ian Ellis (above), posting a birdie on the final hole in the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth was a case of fortune favouring the brave.

Not that there was anything lucky about the shot that set up the 42-year-old from Great Yarmouth and Caister Golf Club to head the substantial posse of PGA pros taking part in the European Tour’s most prestigious event.

Having executed a drive that gobbled up the best part of 300 yards and, with another 200 plus to negotiate, Ellis was faced with a conundrum.

Play conservatively and lay up; or expansively and risk dunking his ball in the brook that snakes across and round the putting surface and incur a one shot penalty.

Reflecting on his deliberations, Ellis said: “I had 237 yards to the pin and thought I can’t really lay up with a wedge and hit another wedge so I took out a three wood and hit it.

“I was really committed to it and it was a great shot – straight at the pin. It’s probably the best three wood I’ve ever hit.”

It was also the type of shot that world number one and defending champion Rory McIlroy would take on without a second thought.

Not so the player ranked 1,583 places below him. In the event, however, not only did the birdie at the last ensure Ellis completed his round in two under, it also left McIlroy in his wake.

Likewise four other major winners in the field: Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Ernie Els and Graeme McDowell.

“Kaymer and McIlroy,” he tweeted, "I've seen worse views."

By contrast, black humour and some sage counsel from his 19-year-old caddy were needed after a start that was at odds with the spectacular climax to his round.

He was two-over after the first three holes and a rot-stopping birdie at the par four fifth was cancelled out immediately by another blip.

Cue some round-restoring input from Dylan Green, an accomplished golfer who has caddied for Ellis for three years.

“My rhythm was awful for the first six or seven holes,” Ellis explained. “ I was one over after eight and my rhythm had gone but Dylan was brilliant.

“I see a sports psychologist – Dan Abrahams. He helps Dylan and tells him what to say to me to reassure me and make me feel good.

“It’s very positive and that’s what I need. If you don’t have a good caddy in situations like that you end up going to pieces.”

The proof of that particular pudding came in the form of no more bogeys and three birdies that left Ellis on course to improve on last year’s performance that saw him miss the cut by one.

“I was fuming after that,” he admitted. “But if I don’t make it tomorrow it won’t matter. I’m learning good things all the time and this is good practice for the PGA Professional Championship at Burnham and Berrow and I’d like to do well here. We’ll see what happens if I don’t.”

Meanwhile, never mind being a shot behind Ellis, McIlroy, the tournament favourite is six adrift of  Italy’s Francesco Molinari, the early pacemaker.

Not that, with three rounds remaining and having over-turned a seven shot deficit on the final day last year to win the tournament, that is likely to overly concern him.

Find out how the other nine PGA pros playing at Wentworth got on here