Player Profile - Ernie Els Back on Top

On Sunday former world number one Ernie Els defied critics to win the Open Championship – his fourth major victory. This week's player profile highlights this talented golfer's recent return to excellent form as he conquers the greens once again.

Born in 1969 near Johannesburg, South Africa, Els enjoyed a highly successful amateur career in South Africa and became a regular winner on the US PGA Tour and European Tour in the 1990s. After winning his first major at the 1994 US Open, Els established himself as a serious contender for world number one, a ranking he attained in 1997 after winning the US Open for a second time, only the second non-American golfer to have done so at the time.

Els continued his career success through the early 2000's, with several important victories keeping the South African in the world top ten during this period. After topping the European Tour's Order of Merit in 2003, Els continued his good form throughout the decade, although the South African's performance in recent years has been described by some critics as inconsistent.

The 2012 season saw Els fall below 50 on the world golf rankings. This resulted in his exclusion from the 2012 Masters tournament for the first time since 1993, prompting many critics to call for the South African's retirement from world golf. Several factors, including an injury in 2005 and an increased focus on his family following his son Ben's diagnosis with Autism, had contributed to Els' loss of form, with putting presenting a particular challenge to the former world number one earlier in the season.

On Sunday Ernie Els proved his critics to be sorely mistaken when he returned to top form in the British Open. Beating Australia's Adam Scott by a single stroke to lift the Claret jug for the second time in his career, Els has proved that he is still a contender of the highest order, having weathered several storms to emerge victorious once again after 23 years on the international golf circuit.

A Golf Weather
Editorial