Golf World Monday - June 15, 2011

from;the;u.s.;oPen els;returns,;hoping;history;repeats

this was the way the story was supposed to have played out: tiger woods had won the 1997 masters by 12 strokes at age 21 and when ernie els, only 27, captured his second u.s. open at congressional two months later, the race was on. we anticipated a decade or more in which woods played the role of Jack nicklaus, winning 18 majors, with els as his arnold palmer-like foil, picking off seven or so grand slam events. but the rivalry never materialized.

“it was a long time ago,” els
said tuesday at congres-
sional about his victory here
in 1997. “i came in with not
much form and really sur-
prised myself.” that’s sort
of where he is right now,
with his last six pga tour
starts ending in finishes
outside the top 45. “i have
good vibes,” he said. “i’m
looking forward to another
special week.”
in 2002 els’ son, ben, was
born and later diagnosed
with autism. in 2005 els
damaged the acl in his
left knee in a water-sports
accident. then in 2008
els went public with ben’s
autism, forming the els for
autism foundation. “a lot
has happened since [i won
the 1997 u.s. open], a lot
for the better,” els said, “i
won’t say being touched by
autism is a good thing, but
we have a great boy in ben.”
and he and his wife liezl
are doing great work with
their foundation.

pionship, els said, “almost too much, like i need to dial it down a bit. my sense of urgency is very much there. i just have to figure out a way to make it happen.” perhaps that magic can happen here at congressional, where 14 years ago els left with so much promise, much of it unfulfilled.

woods held up his end of the bargain, winning 13 more majors, but in the 14 years since the u.s. open was last at congressional— and in the 54 majors played since then—els has hoisted a trophy at one of the big four events only once, at the 2002 british open. and his ongoing struggles with his putting make it seem as if the chances of a fourth major are remote, at best— at least now.

the easy analysis of the big easy is that tiger wore him out, especially in 2000 when els was second to woods at the u.s. open by 15 strokes and at the british open by eight strokes (in the first major of that season, els finished second to vijay singh). during the next five years, els was in the top 10 in 14 of 20 majors, with his only victory coming at muir-field. but there was more going on in els’ life than the psychological scar tissue inflicted on his confidence by woods.

last month els was inducted into the world golf hall of fame. while it seems he could have achieved more success to this point in his career, the sense from time spent with ernie is that he is in a very good place with ben, liezl and their daughter samantha. yet he still yearns for more on the golf course.