How Butch helped Els beef up his challenge

Els, winner of a record seven world matchplay titles at Wentworth but yet to triumph in the BMW PGA strokeplay event, said: "Like 'Lead', Butch has worked with different generations of players and he's evolved with time and equipment and technology.

"I saw what Butch has done with the Australian Adam Scott, who has probably got the best swing in golf right now.

"I also saw what he's done with Stewart Cink, the American who's very tall, taller than me.

"Butch is very much right on top of his game right now, so I wanted to listen to him."

Like all new relationships, the one between Els and Harmon has taken time to gel and the player missed the cut at the US Masters last month.

The Big Easy said: "It was more technical than anything else. When you're aiming at a spot on the ball, and then you look up and it's not quite going where you thought you were aiming, it's tough to get yourself thinking about shooting 63s and 64s.

"Technically, I got out of whack and I'm still getting back.

"When I first started working with Butch I told him I was probably a three out of 10 and I'm slowly getting back up to maybe a five or a six now. Hopefully, by the US Open next month I'll be a seven and going forward.

"When the technical side becomes very comfortable, I think my game will just fall in place."

The BMW PGA is very much a home event for Els, who lives with his family on the Wentworth estate. But he is shortly to set up another base in Florida, where there are better facilities for Ben, his autistic five-year-old son.

"We found a very good educational system for him there," said Els. "But I'm keeping the house at Wentworth and we'll spend the summers here.

"But I do find it quite difficult in the off-season, with the snow and the rain. I find it difficult to practise. I just don't feel like I have much of a life outside of taking the kids to school and coming back and sitting in the cold."

At least the competition will be hot this week with an elite field chasing a share of a purse worth £3.6million.

Like Els, defending champion Anders Hansen has recently overhauled his game. The Dane, aiming for a third BMW PGA title, said: "I've been working hard on trying to improve my technique and lift my fitness level, and I'm feeling pretty good."