Ernie Els
Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Elsis a South African professional golfer. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature) along with his fluid golf swing. Among his 71 career victories are four major championships: the U.S. Open in 1994 at Oakmont and in 1997 at Congressional, and The Open Championship in 2002 at Muirfield and in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He is one of six golfers to twice win...
NationalitySouth African
ProfessionAthlete
accuracy areas best certain conditions difference form gets greens longer matter player second shots small takes toughest tour win
Basically, it takes the best player who's on form to win this tournament. The conditions here, maybe, make more difference than at a lot of places. When it gets a little firmer, the second shots become probably the toughest on Tour because the greens are very small and there's only certain areas where you can go with your second shots. In that regard, it doesn't matter longer or shorter hitter. Accuracy is at a premium.
believe best closed davis elevated gap golf guys humble phil playing tee tiger win
Tiger is not playing as well as he did then. Guys like Vijay, Phil (Mickelson), Davis (Love) and me have elevated a little bit, and the gap has closed a bit. I think guys get to the first tee and really believe they can win with Tiger in the field. Golf will humble the best of them and that's where we are.
arms best chest club front mechanics move setting shoulders soft swinging turn
When I'm swinging the club at my best, it's because I'm not thinking about mechanics at all. I feel like my body is loose. My arms are soft in front of me when I'm setting up, and my chest and shoulders feel as if they can move and turn easily.
best bomb driver par shot tee
When you get to the tee on a really long par 5, I know what you're feeling. You want to let the shaft out on the driver and try to bomb it down there. I get the same feeling. But a big tee shot is not always the best strategy, especially on a long hole.
accuracy best form great player premium short win
The best player who is on form is going to win the tournament. Accuracy is at a premium here and you'd better have your short game. Overall, it's a great test.
best course form golf longer lots player tournament win
It's got a lot of variety, and you can play the golf course lots of different ways. Basically, the best player that's on form is going to win the tournament ? if you're a longer hitter, shorter hitter.
best break five golf last playing six time weeks
Before the injury, I had been playing professional golf for the best part of 16 years without any really long breaks. The last time I had a long break was in 2001 when I was out for five or six weeks with a back injury.
brain great love picking thinking winning
He's a great champion. I love picking his brain about what he was thinking when he was winning all those tournaments.
behind conditions full generally last major month notch open rattled took
He's a full notch behind Vijay. He's not even on the same rung. There's no major that rattles you like the U.S. Open. Last year's Open probably took a month to get over that. It's not like the Masters, where the conditions are generally the same. At the Open, they're probably already rattled going in.
almost golfing gone level seems tired
He's almost like a golfing machine. He never seems to get tired of the game. And he's gone up a level this year.
coming love
I love coming here when I get the chance,
bogey came five huge mistakes par sums
I feel that to bogey a par five is a huge sin. But after making mistakes I came back well and that kind of sums up the whole day.
finished second six
I finished second six times to him that year,
feeling masters next open ready reason time traveling virus year
I will be ready for the Masters next time around and had I not got a virus just before Augusta, this year I would have been ready. I don't know if it was all the traveling that did it to me or whatever, but also for some reason I went to the U.S. Open feeling tired.