Rock Solid Performance: Els returns to Big Easy ways
By Lauren Deason, PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Finally.
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After three long years, four months and 29 days, Ernie Els again won an event on the PGA TOUR. The win at The Honda Classic was his first on American soil in even longer since his last TOUR victory occurred in Kilkenny, Ireland at the 2004 World Golf Championships-American Express Championship.
The South African has captured more than 60 victories worldwide and he's no stranger to the winner's circle. But Sunday's win at PGA National gave the veteran goosebumps.
"We play out here to win," Els said. "I guess we get addicted to that feeling and, when you don't get your rush, so to speak, you miss it. I definitely missed winning over here."
The victory didn't come easy for the man they call the Big Easy. In fact, he led the biggest comeback of his TOUR career on Sunday to capture his 16th PGA TOUR title.
Els began the day three strokes behind Luke Donald, Matt Jones and Mark Calcavecchia, but four birdies in the first seven holes soon had him at the top.
His only blemish on the scorecard came at the 17th hole -- the third leg of the Bear Trap, a tough final stretch of water-laden holes at PGA National -- when Els hit his 4-iron into the left bunker, struck a "clumsy bunker shot" and missed an 8-footer for par.
Carding a one-bogey 67 on the final day and a 6-under-par 274 for the tournament meant Els didn't just survive a windy day at PGA National, the third-toughest course on the PGA TOUR in 2007. He thrived on the pressure.
"[When] chasing you need tough conditions because, if the wind wasn't blowing (like it didn't Saturday), the leader shoots 66 and you've got no chance. [A 66] is very doable out here if the wind doesn't blow. So I was happy that the wind blew and I knew that I'm not too bad of a wind player."
Els credited British Open experience and his long career in golf throughout the world with helping him as a wind player. Though Els had been in a drought on the PGA TOUR, he continued to play well across the globe. He is currently ranked No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking and finished second on the European Tour Order of Merit last year because of victories at the 2006 South African Airways Open and the HSBC World Match Play in mid-October 2007.
But Els had also recently seen more than his fair share of heartbreaks.
A month ago, he began the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic as the leader and was four strokes clear of Tiger Woods. But he missed two par putts of less than five feet to lose the lead down the stretch and gave away any chance to make a playoff when his ball found water on No. 18, and he lost to his familiar nemesis Woods.
In early December 2007 at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, Els held a two-shot lead heading into the 72nd hole but squandered his chance for victory when he hit it into the water twice. He took a triple bogey on No. 18 and lost by a stroke to John Bickerton.
Last year on the PGA TOUR, Els had a real shot at winning the Verizon Heritage after Boo Weekley had two very difficult chip shots on Nos. 17 and 18. But Weekley made both improbable chip-ins from 40 feet and 36 feet, respectively, to steal the title from Els' grasp.
"In Dubai, I needed to play a really solid back nine and made a couple of mistakes and went for the green on 18 and lost there," Els said. "In South Africa, when I really had the tournament won, and I made an eight to lose by one, that was tough.
"It [feels] even sweeter, losing so many tournaments and now one going my way. I didn't want to watch on television what the other guys were doing," added Els, who finished ahead of Donald, Calcavecchia and Jones and had to wait to see if any of them could catch him.
"The last time I saw [golf] live was when Boo Weekley chipped in twice on 17 and 18 at Hilton Head last year to beat me. So I didn't want to watch this time."
Els hung on and picked up 4,500 FedExCup points for the victory, which vaulted him from relative obscurity at No. 182 in the ranks to the 11th spot.
He's been working on and off over the past two years with noted sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella. He had the weekend off unexpectedly after a first-round loss in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship last week.
On Monday afternoon, after an early practice round, Els had a talk with Dr. Bob to regroup.
"He basically just wants me to be Ernie Els again, to be like the "Big Easy" again," said Els, who earned the nickname for his 6-foot-3 stature and effortless-looking golf swing. "I've been a little bit uptight and a little grumpy."
Now Els will have plenty to smile about.
In December 2006, he famously went on record with a three-year plan to challenge Tiger Woods, the top-ranked golfer in the world. The "T-word" was raised during his post-tournament interview at The Honda Classic and Els said he still sees ways he can improve to potentially take down Woods.
He set that goal for himself back in late 2006 because he needed some kind of goal to strive for. Now that he's back in his winning ways, Els hasn't abandoned the possibility of challenging him for the No. 1 spot.
"I still need to improve on making those big putts because I need to make those down the stretch," Els said. "There will be a tournament obviously when he's in contention and hopefully I've got a chance to try and beat him.
"...I am 38 right now and I can, quite easily, go and enjoy my kids and go build golf courses and stuff," he explained. "But I really still want to achieve a lot in the game and I still want to win a lot."
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