Things will look up for the Big Easy
It is 2013 folks! Gather round - let us have our say for The Big Easy!
Ernie Els is a World Golf Hall of Famer, ranked amongst the most successful golfers in history, with more than 60 professional tournaments the world over under his belt.
To add to that already stellar list of achievements are a record seven World Match Play titles and four Major Championship titles.
He began his professional golfing career competing against other professionals at the age of 16 years. The legend of Ernie Els was confirmed with his induction to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
In 2012, he won The Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes, considered by many to be the most prestigious tournament in golf. He has been World No. 1.
It is an easy swing, imposing physical stature and easygoing persona that have worked to have him called “The Big Easy” by a worshipping fan base.
On his own technique, he quotes, “I get all kinds of people telling me I have the best swing in the world—it's beautiful, it's effortless”.
Nevertheless, bad news for the fans out there is he has failed to qualify for the Masters earlier this year and a contention for the US Open did not go so well either.
He has won the US Open twice, but sadly faltered this time around. After a ninth-place finish for Els, which was after signing for a final-round 72, he said:
“Well, I’m disappointed right now. I felt I had a lot of chances, did what I needed to do. I wanted to try and get in the playoff, but again I didn't hit the shots coming in, basically”.
That is not working for Els. Only the top-eight qualifiers get to live the bigger dream of the Masters. A return trip to Augusta National was the cost of a final-hole bogey.
He has been for years the best clutch putter in golf, but every time he swung the club, hoping to strike big, the ball would not go in.
Those were times of mixed emotions for Els. “I thought I was a lot calmer,” he said, pleased to be back in the hunt. “I felt in control so that’s a good sign. We got two majors left and I’m going to take a nice break now and try and regroup and come back.
“I feel that where I was last year and where I am now, it’s a huge change. I got the belief back”.
The Big Easy is taking it like his namesake. He will have a ton of opportunities, next April, to qualify for the Masters.
However, what will next year be like for him? What will his performances entail? At bet365, Els is 28/1 to win the Open Championship in 2013.
Following him closely by is Rory McIlroy, who can be backed at 15/2. Then Tiger Woods at 13/2 and Lee Westwood at 18/1.
Els, apparently, believes he is ready to start the winning streak again. Although he had been delighted by his performance in California, Swede golfer Jonas Blixt seemed reluctant.
Blixt admitted that it will take Els some “more time to come to terms with his first victory on the PGA Tour.”
At a private function, Els commented, "I think I found something this week, so I'm looking forward to next year and the one or two events I've got left this year".
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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