Ernie Els continues to be a great ambassador for South African golf, and not just away from the course as he’s well into his 50s, but on the course too as he continues to shine on the PGA Champions Tour.
The 55-year-old won his seventh title on the senior tour in the USA over the weekend as he ended on 18-under for the three rounds.
The four-time major champion out-duelled Spaniard Miguel-Angle Jimenez, and the German duo of Alex Cejka and Bernhard Langer who all finished two shots adrift in second.
It was also the 80th professional victory of his career for Els.
“Getting it done under the gun, very tight race all day, all week really,” Els said afterwards.
“I had to make some clutch putts. Even if you don’t believe in yourself as much, days like this when you make those putts like you used to, it gives you hope again.”
Els was part of a golden generation of SA golfers, which also ushered in a couple of top players over the last three decades.
In fact, Els remains the last SA winner of a men’s major. That triumph came way back in 2012 at The Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s.
It was also the fourth time in five years that a South African won a major, after Charl Schwartzel won the 2011 Masters, Louis Oosthuizen triumphed at The Open Championship in 2010 and Trevor Immelman emerged victorious at the 2008 Masters.
Since then, it’s been slim pickings, or no pickings to be precise. It’s probably not helped with players like Oosthuizen and Dean Burmester signing with LIV Golf which effectively limits their chances of playing in the majors.
However, in players like Thriston Lawrence, Aldrich Potgieter and Christiaan Bezuidenhout there is still hope. Perhaps 2025 is indeed the year to break SA’s major drought.