View source for Ernie Els

{{short description|South African professional golfer (born 1969)}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox golfer
| name              = Ernie Els
| image             = Photo Ernie Els cropped.jpg
| caption           = Els in 2009
| fullname          = Theodore Ernest Els
| nickname          = The Big Easy
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1969|10|17|df=y}}
| birth_place       = [[Johannesburg]], South Africa
| death_date        = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|1969|10|17|df=y}} -->
| death_place       =
| height            = 6 ft 3 in
| weight            = {{convert|210|lb|kg st|abbr=on}}
| nationality       = {{ZAF}}
| residence         = [[Wentworth Estate|Wentworth]], [[Surrey]], England<br>[[George, Western Cape]], South Africa<br>[[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida]]
| spouse            = {{marriage|Liezl|1998}}
| partner           =
| children          = 2
| college           =
| yearpro           = 1989
| tour              = [[PGA Tour Champions]]<br>[[European Senior Tour]]
| extour            = [[PGA Tour]]<br>[[European Tour]]<br>[[Sunshine Tour]]
| prowins           = 79
| pgawins           = 19
| eurowins          = 28 ([[List of golfers with most European Tour wins|7th all-time]])
| champwins         = 7
| japwins           = 1
| asiawins          = 3
| sunwins           = 16
| auswins           = 5
| otherwins         = 21
| majorwins         = [[#Major championships|4]]
| masters           = 2nd: [[2000 Masters Tournament|2000]], [[2004 Masters Tournament|2004]]
| usopen            = '''Won''': [[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|1994]], [[1997 U.S. Open (golf)|1997]]
| open              = '''Won''': [[2002 Open Championship|2002]], [[2012 Open Championship|2012]]
| pga               = 3rd/T3: [[1995 PGA Championship|1995]], [[2007 PGA Championship|2007]]
| wghofid           = ernie-els
| wghofyear         = 2011
| award1            = [[Southern Africa Tour#Order of Merit winners|Southern Africa Tour<br>Order of Merit winner]]
| year1             = [[1991–92 Southern Africa Tour|1991–92]], [[1994–95 Southern Africa Tour|1994–95]]
| award2            = [[European Tour Golfer of the Year|European Tour<br>Golfer of the Year]]
| year2             = [[1994 European Tour|1994]], [[2002 European Tour|2002]], [[2003 European Tour|2003]]
| award3            = [[PGA Tour Rookie of the Year|PGA Tour<br>Rookie of the Year]]
| year3             = [[1994 PGA Tour|1994]]
| award4            = [[Harry Vardon Trophy#Winners|European Tour<br>Order of Merit winner]]
| year4             = [[2003 European Tour|2003]], [[2004 European Tour|2004]]
| award5            = [[Payne Stewart Award]]
| year5             = 2015
| award6            = [[Old Tom Morris Award]]
| year6             = 2018
| awardssection     = <!-- location of awards page or section -->
}}
'''Theodore Ernest Els''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|l|s}}; born 17 October 1969) is a South African professional golfer. A former {{nowrap|[[Official World Golf Ranking|World No. 1]]}}, he is nicknamed "'''The Big Easy'''" due to his physical stature along with his fluid golf swing. Among his more than 70 career victories are four [[Men's major golf championships|major championships]]: the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] in [[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|1994]] at [[Oakmont Country Club|Oakmont]] and in [[1997 U.S. Open (golf)|1997]] at [[Congressional Country Club|Congressional]], and [[The Open Championship]] in [[2002 Open Championship|2002]] at [[Muirfield]] and in [[2012 Open Championship|2012]] at [[Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club|Royal Lytham & St Annes]].<ref name="PGA">{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/players/player.06522.ernie-els.html/media-guide/#uber |title=PGA Tour Media Guide – Ernie Els |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=23 December 2013}}</ref> He is one of six golfers to twice win both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.

Other highlights in Els's career include topping the 2003 and 2004 [[European Tour]] Order of Merit (money list), and winning the [[HSBC World Match Play Championship|World Match Play Championship]] a record seven times. He was the leading career money winner on the European Tour until overtaken by [[Lee Westwood]] in 2011, and was the first member of the tour to earn over €25,000,000 from European Tour events. He has held the number one spot in the [[Official World Golf Ranking]] and until 2013 held the record for [[List of male golfers who have been in the world top 10|weeks ranked in the top ten]] with 788.<ref>{{cite book |title=European Tour Official Guide 09 |url=http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid={00387D2B-9D40-40B9-B2AC-C46939A8370B}|access-date=16 January 2009 |edition=38th |year=2009 |publisher=PGA European Tour |chapter=Players who have reached the Top Ten in the Official World Golf Ranking since 1986 |page=558 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.owgr.com/NEWS/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=6647310&itype=421 |title=Week 11 – Ernie Els Wins WGC-CA Championship To Jump To World Number Eight While The Puerto Rico Open Goes to a Monday Finish |work=Official World Golf Ranking |date=15 March 2010 |access-date=23 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223050359/http://www.owgr.com/NEWS/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=6647310&itype=421 |archive-date=23 February 2012}}</ref> Els rose to fifteenth in the [[Official World Golf Ranking|world rankings]] after winning the [[2012 Open Championship]]. He was elected to the [[World Golf Hall of Fame]] in 2010, on his first time on the ballot, and was inducted in May 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/news/2010/09/22/2010-hall-of-fame.html |title=2011 Hall of Fame class: Els, Ford, Bush, Hutchison |publisher=PGA Tour |date=22 September 2010 |access-date=23 December 2013}}</ref>

Els now primarily plays on the [[PGA Tour Champions]].

== Early life and amateur career ==
Growing up in Lambton, [[Germiston]], South Africa, Els played [[rugby football|rugby]], cricket, [[tennis]] and, starting at age 8, golf. He was a skilled junior tennis player and won the Eastern Transvaal Junior Championships at age 13. Els first learned the game of golf from his father Neels, a trucking executive, at the Germiston Golf course, He was soon playing better than his father (and his older brother, Dirk), and by the age of 14 he was a scratch handicap. It was around this time that he decided to focus exclusively on golf. 

Els first achieved prominence in 1984, when he won the [[Junior World Golf Championship]] in the Boys 13–14 category. [[Phil Mickelson]] was second to Els that year. Els won the [[South African Amateur Championship (golf)|South African Amateur]] a few months after his 17th birthday, becoming the youngest-ever winner of that event, breaking the record which had been held since 1935 by [[Bobby Locke]]. Els contested the 1987 [[British Amateur Championship]], qualifying from stroke play for the 64-player match play segment, but was knocked out there.

Els received interest to play college golf at several American universities, but chose to stay in South Africa and fulfill his mandatory military service in the [[South African Army]] starting in January 1988.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1994/08/08/the-big-dog-at-age-24-us-open-champ-ernie-els-of-south-africa-is-hailed-as-golfs-future-best-in-show |title=At age 24, U.S. Open champ Ernie Els of South Africa is hailed as golf's future best in show |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |last=Rosaforte |first=Tim |date=August 8, 1994 |access-date=June 12, 2025}}</ref>

In 1989, Els won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship.

== Professional career ==
=== 1989–1996: early years and first major win ===
In 1989, Els turned professional. In 1991, he began playing on the [[Southern Africa Tour]]. In 1992, he won the [[Protea Assurance South African Open]], his first professional win. He won the tour's Order of Merit during the 1991/92 and 1994/95 seasons. In 1993, Els won his first tournament outside of South Africa at the [[Dunlop Phoenix]] in Japan. In 1994, Els won his first major championship at the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]. Els was tied with [[Colin Montgomerie]] and [[Loren Roberts]] after 72 holes and they went to an 18-hole playoff the next day. In spite of starting the playoff bogey-triple bogey,<ref>{{cite news |first=Larry |last=Dorman |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/21/sports/golf-forget-finesse-remember-a-name-els-wins-open.html |title=Forget Finesse, Remember a Name: Els Wins Open |newspaper=The New York Times |date=21 June 1994 |access-date=22 July 2012}}</ref> Els was able to match Roberts' score of 74. Els parred the second hole of sudden death to win his first U.S. Open title.

Els brought his game all around the world in his young career winning the [[Dubai Desert Classic]] on the European Tour, and the [[Toyota World Match Play Championship]] defeating once again Colin Montgomerie 4 & 2. The following year, Els defended his World Match Play Championship, defeating Steve Elkington 3 & 1. Els won the [[GTE Byron Nelson Classic]] in the United States then headed back home to South Africa and won twice more. In 1996, Els won his third straight World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, defeating [[Vijay Singh]] in the final 3 & 2. No player in history had ever managed to win three successive titles in the one-on-one tournament.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://golf.about.com/od/progolftours/p/world-match-play-championship.htm |title=Volvo World Match Play Championship |first=Brent |last=Kelley |publisher=About.com |access-date=23 December 2013 |archive-date=24 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224115117/http://golf.about.com/od/progolftours/p/world-match-play-championship.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Els finished the year with a win at his home tournament at the South African Open.

=== 1997–2002: career years and multi-major championships ===
1997 was a career year for Els first winning his second U.S. Open (once again over Colin Montgomerie) this time at [[Congressional Country Club]], making him the first foreign player since [[Alex Smith (golfer)|Alex Smith]] (1906, 1910) to win the U.S. Open twice. He defended his Buick Classic title and added the Johnnie Walker Classic to his list of victories. Els nearly won the World Match Play Championship for a fourth consecutive year, but lost to Vijay Singh in the final. 1998 and 1999 continued to be successful years for Els with 4 wins on both the PGA and European tours.

2000 started with Els being given a special honour by the board of directors of the [[European Tour]] awarding him with honorary life membership of the European Tour because of his two U.S. Opens and three World Match Play titles. 2000 was the year of runners-up for Els; with three runner-up finishes in the Majors (Masters, U.S. Open and The Open Championship) and seven second-place finishes in tournaments worldwide. In 2001 Els failed to win a US PGA tour event for the first time since 1994 although he ended the year with nine second-place finishes.

2002 was arguably Els's best year, which started with a win at the Heineken Classic at the [[Royal Melbourne Golf Club]]. Then went to America and outplayed World Number one [[Tiger Woods]] to lift the [[Genuity Championship]] title. The premier moment of the season was surely his [[Open Championship]] triumph in very tough conditions at [[Muirfield]]. Els overcame a four-man playoff to take home the famous [[Claret Jug (golf trophy)|Claret Jug]] trophy for the first time, also quieting his critics about his mental toughness. The South African also won his fourth World Match Play title, along with his third Nedbank Challenge in the last four years, dominating a world-class field and winning by 8 shots.

=== 2003–2005: the Big Five ===
[[Image:Ernie checking shot.JPG|thumb|Els at [[Westchester Country Club|Westchester]] in [[2004 PGA Tour|2004]]]]

2003 gave Els his first European Tour [[Order of Merit]]. Although playing fewer events than his competitors Els won four times and had three runners-up. He also performed well in the United States with back to back victories at the Mercedes Championship – where he set the all-time PGA Tour 72-hole record for most strokes under par at 31 under – and Sony Open and achieved top-20 spots in all four majors, including a fifth-place finish at the U.S. Open and sixth-place finishes at both the Masters and PGA Championship. To top off the season Els won the World Match Play title for a record-tying fifth time. In 2003 he was voted 37th on the [[SABC3's Great South Africans]].

[[Image:Ernie smiling 800.jpg|thumb|left|Els shares a laugh during the practice round for the 2004 [[Buick Classic]]]]
2004 was another successful year as Els won 6 times on both tours, including big wins at Memorial, [[WGC-American Express Championship]] and his sixth World Match Play Championship, a new record. His success did not stop there. Els showed remarkable consistency in the Majors but lost to [[Phil Mickelson]] in the [[Masters Tournament|Masters]] when Mickelson birdied the 18th for the title, finished ninth in the U.S. Open after playing in the final group with friend and fellow countryman [[Retief Goosen]] and surprisingly lost in a playoff in the Open to the then-unknown [[Todd Hamilton]]. Els had a {{convert|14|ft|m|adj=on}} putt for birdie on the final hole of regulation for the Open at Royal Troon, but he missed the putt and lost in the playoff. Els ended the major season with a fourth-place finish in the PGA Championship, where a three-putt on the 72nd hole would cost him a place in the playoff. In total, Els had 16 top-10 finishes, a second European Order of Merit title in succession and a second-place finish on the United States money list.

2004 was the start of the "Big Five era", the era in golf in which [[Tiger Woods]], [[Vijay Singh]], Ernie Els, [[Retief Goosen]] and [[Phil Mickelson]] dominated the game. The five switched up and down the top five positions in the [[Official World Golf Ranking|World Golf Ranking]]; most notably Vijay Singh's derailment of Tiger Woods as the best golfer in the world. The five stayed, for the most part, in the top five spots from 2004 until the start of 2007. Nine majors were won between them, many fighting against each other head to head.

In July 2005, Els injured his left knee while sailing with his family in the Mediterranean. Despite missing several months of the 2005 season due to the injury, Els won the second event on his return, the [[Alfred Dunhill Championship|Dunhill Championship]]. With his victory at the 2005 [[Qatar Masters]], an event co-sanctioned by the [[Asian Tour]], Els became the second golfer after [[Lee Westwood]] to win on all six of the big tours on the [[International Federation of PGA Tours]].

=== 2006–2011: gradual recovery and comeback ===
At the start of the 2007 season, Ernie Els laid out a three-year battle plan to challenge Tiger Woods as world number one. "I see 2007 as the start of a three-year plan where I totally re-dedicate myself to the game",<ref>{{cite news |agency=Reuters |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/golf/12/20/bc.golf.els/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090124053752/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/golf/12/20/bc.golf.els/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=24 January 2009 |title=Els has 3-year plan to catch Woods as world's No. 1 |work=Sports Illustrated/CNN |date=20 December 2006 |access-date=23 December 2013}}</ref> Els told his official website. When he missed the cut by two strokes at the 2007 [[Masters Tournament]], Els ended tour-leading consecutive cut streaks on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. On the PGA Tour, his streak began at the 2004 [[The Players Championship]] (46 events) and on the European Tour it began at the 2000 [[Johnnie Walker Classic]] (82 events)

[[File:Ernie Els 3-wood tee.jpg|thumb|left|Els at Torrey Pines for the [[2008 U.S. Open (golf)|2008 U.S. Open]]]]

Els has often been compared to [[Greg Norman]] in the sense that both men's careers could be looked back on and think what could have been. Although the two of them are multiple major championship winners, both share disappointment in majors. Their disappointments have ranged from nerves, bad luck, and being outplayed. 1996 was the year where Norman collapsed in the [[Masters Tournament|Masters]], whereas the year before Els did in the [[PGA Championship]]. Nearly four years later, Els finished runner-up in the 2000 Masters Tournament, and again in 2004, losing to Phil Mickelson. Els has finished runner-up in six majors, finishing runner-up to Tiger Woods more than any other golfer, and has often been described as having the right game to finally be the golfer to beat Woods in a major.

On 2 March 2008, Els won the [[Honda Classic]] contested at PGA National's Championship Course in [[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida]]. Els shot a final round 67 in tough windy conditions, which was enough to give him the win by one stroke over [[Luke Donald]]. The win marked the end of a three and a half-year-long stretch without a win on the PGA Tour for Els. The win was also his 16th victory on the PGA Tour.

On 8 April 2008, Els officially announced that he was switching swing coaches from [[David Leadbetter (golf instructor)|David Leadbetter]] (whom Els had worked with since 1990) to noted swing coach [[Butch Harmon]]. During Els's 2008 Masters press conference Els, said the change is in an effort to tighten his swing, shorten his swing, and get a fresh perspective.

Els finally did break his winless streak by capturing the [[WGC-CA Championship]] at Doral in 2010, winning by four strokes over fellow countryman [[Charl Schwartzel]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/news/story?id=4995357 |title=Els gets first win in two years |date=14 March 2010 |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |access-date=20 March 2010}}</ref> It was Els's second WGC tournament title. The victory also saw Els overtake [[Colin Montgomerie]] to become the career money leader on the European Tour. Els then won the [[Arnold Palmer Invitational]] at Bay Hill two weeks later. It was his 18th PGA Tour victory, and his second in as many starts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8592134.stm |title=Ernie Els completes Arnold Palmer Invitational victory |date=29 March 2010 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=29 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401130831/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/8592134.stm |archive-date=1 April 2010}}</ref> The win at Bay Hill also vaulted Els to the top of the [[FedEx Cup]] standings.  He held the top spot for 22 consecutive weeks.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/fedexcup/2013/02/26/spotlight-els.html |title=FedExCup Spotlight: Ernie Els |publisher=PGA Tour |first=Chris |last=Dunham |date=26 February 2013}}</ref>

In June, Els almost captured his third U.S. Open title at [[Pebble Beach Golf Links|Pebble Beach]].  Els briefly held a share of the lead after birding the sixth hole, but was derailed by a stretch of bogey, double bogey, bogey on 9,10, and 11.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/21/sports/golf/21usopen.html |title=With Nerves in Check, Graeme McDowell Wins U.S. Open |first=Larry |last=Dorman |date=20 June 2010 |newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> Els finished the tournament in solo 3rd.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2010/06/21/2010-06-21_mickelson_els_fail_to_close_deal_at_open.html |title=Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson can't grasp U.S. Open win with Tiger Woods struggling at Pebble Beach |date=21 June 2010 |newspaper=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |location=New York |access-date=21 June 2010}}</ref>

Els capped his year by winning the [[PGA Grand Slam of Golf]] in October, with a one stroke victory over [[David Toms]], and also capturing the [[South African Open (golf)|South African Open]] title by beating [[Retief Goosen]] by one shot.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/9303093.stm |title=Ernie Els comes out on top in South African Open |date=19 December 2010 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=19 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222031355/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/9303093.stm |archive-date=22 December 2010}}</ref>

After his successful 2010 season, Els struggled to find his form in [[2011 PGA Tour|2011]].  He ultimately dropped out of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time since 1993.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.golfrankingstats.com/player/Ernie-Els |title=Ernie Els – Advanced Statistics |publisher=Golfrankingstats.com |access-date=22 July 2012}}</ref>

=== 2012–2019: fourth major championship and career volatility ===
Els started the 2012 season in his home country at the [[Volvo Golf Champions]] where he finished in a tie for second place after he and [[Retief Goosen]] lost out in a playoff to [[Branden Grace]]. Els was next in contention at the [[Transitions Championship]], where he needed a win to qualify for the 2012 Masters.  Els led the tournament for most of the final round and had the lead outright until the 16th hole. However, he finished the tournament bogey-bogey missing a short three-footer on the last hole to make a playoff. The tournament was eventually won by [[Luke Donald]]. In April, Els failed to qualify for the Masters for the first time since 1993. He was ranked 58th in the world prior to the tournament (the top 50 are given automatic invitations). Ultimately, Els's unsuccessful bids to qualify for the Masters was viewed as the likely end of his competitiveness on the PGA Tour.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/sports/golf/els-keeps-missing-putts-and-could-miss-the-masters.html?_r=0 |title=Putts Elude Els, and So Could Masters |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Craig |last=Dolch |date=22 March 2012}}</ref>

Els surprised the golfing world by winning the [[Open Championship|2012 Open Championship]] in July by birding the 72nd hole. [[Adam Scott (golfer)|Adam Scott]] led by four shots after a birdie at the 14th hole, but bogeyed the final four holes to miss a playoff with Els by one stroke.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/story/2012-07-22/ernie-els-wins-british-open/56415126/1 |title=Shocking finish: Ernie Els rallies to win British Open |date=23 July 2012 |first=Steve |last=DiMeglio |newspaper=USA Today |access-date=23 July 2012}}</ref> Els's win rejuvenated his career and earned him 5-year exemptions to the other 3 majors.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/golf/top-stories/Ernie-Els-wins-British-Open-after-late-Scott-collapse/articleshow/15097232.cms |title=Ernie Els wins British Open after late Scott collapse |access-date=23 July 2012 |newspaper=The Times of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723170525/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/golf/top-stories/Ernie-Els-wins-British-Open-after-late-Scott-collapse/articleshow/15097232.cms |archive-date=23 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Els became the eighth player to win major tournaments in three different decades, joining his countryman [[Gary Player]], [[Jack Nicklaus]], [[Lee Trevino]], [[Billy Casper]], [[Raymond Floyd]], [[John Henry Taylor]], and [[Harry Vardon]] ([[Tiger Woods]] and [[Phil Mickelson]] have since become the ninth and tenth, respectively).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/britishopen12/story/_/id/8188845/2012-open-championship-adam-scott-collapses-ernie-els-wins-claret-jug |title=Ernie Els rallies to win Open |date=24 July 2012 |access-date=29 March 2013 |work=ESPN}}</ref> Els's win also marked the third major champion out of the previous four major championships to be won with a type of long putter.  His win reignited the controversy over the legality of long or anchored putters in golf.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sbnation.com/golf/2012/7/23/3177450/british-open-2012-ernie-els |title=Ernie Els' 2012 British Open Win Reignites Demands To Ban Long Putters |publisher=SB Nation |first=Emily |last=Kay |date=23 July 2012}}</ref>

In June 2013, Els won for the first time since the 2012 Open Championship at the [[BMW International Open]] in [[Munich]], [[Germany]]. He claimed a wire-to-wire victory with a one-stroke win over [[Thomas Bjørn]] for his 28th European Tour title. Els moved up to 14th from 20th in the world rankings after the win.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2013/tournamentid=2013048/news/newsid=197546.html |title=Ernie Els returns to winning ways |publisher=PGA European Tour |date=23 June 2013 |access-date=25 June 2013}}</ref>

Els struggled to find his form throughout the 2014 season. He finished 4th at the [[WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship]] in February, 5th at [[The Barclays]] and 7th at the [[2014 PGA Championship|PGA Championship]], but struggled with missed cuts, including a missed cut at the [[Masters Tournament|Masters]] in April. Els's struggles continued into 2015 when he made only 10 cuts on the PGA Tour. He finished a 173rd in the FedEx Cup and failed to qualify for the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/players/player.06522.ernie-els.html/career |title=Ernie Els – Career Summary |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=13 April 2016}}</ref> In preparation for the anchored putter ban in 2016, Els switched back to the short putter in late 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ernieels.com/weekly-diary-2/seeing-the-bigger-picture/ |title=Seeing the Bigger Picture |publisher=Ernie Els |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=15 May 2014}}</ref> Els's struggles with short putts, or the "yips", became the draw of much media attention in early 2016.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.golfdigest.com/story/with-new-putting-grip-ernie-els-feels-reborn |title=With new putting grip, Ernie Els feels reborn |magazine=Golf Digest |first=John |last=Huggan |date=5 February 2016}}</ref> At the [[2016 Masters Tournament]], Els's putting was again the source of negative publicity when he six-putted from 3 feet on his opening hole.  Els recorded a 9 on the hole and ended up shooting 80–73 and missing the cut.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/masters16/story/_/id/15155410/ernie-els-6-putts-first-hole-record-nine-masters |title=Ernie Els 6-putts from within 3 feet for a record 9 on first hole at Masters |work=ESPN |first=Bob |last=Harig |date=7 April 2016}}</ref> After the Masters, Els thanked his fans on his website for their support and was admittedly embarrassed by his putting performance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ernieels.com/weekly-diary-2/ernies-masters-review/ |title=Ernie's Masters Review |website=ErnieEls.com |date=11 April 2016}}</ref>

=== 2020–2025: PGA Tour Champions ===
In January 2020, Els joined the [[PGA Tour Champions]] shortly after his 50th birthday. In January 2020, Els shot 72-65-65 to tie for the lead of his first PGA Tour Champions event, the [[Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai]]. [[Miguel Ángel Jiménez]] and [[Fred Couples]] also qualified for the playoff. Jiménez won the event with a birdie on the second playoff hole.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/miguel-angel-jimenez-outlasts-a-hall-of-fame-leader-board-to-win-the-season-opener |date=19 January 2020 |access-date=19 January 2020 |title=Miguel Angel Jimenez outlasts a Hall of Fame leader board to win the season opener |first=John |last=Strege |magazine=Golf Digest}}</ref>

In March 2020, Els won the [[Hoag Classic]] in [[Newport Beach, California]]. Els finished with a 4-under-par 67 to finish 54 holes in 16-under-par 197, two strokes ahead of [[Fred Couples]], [[Robert Karlsson]], and [[Glen Day]]. This was just Els's third start on the PGA Tour Champions.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/ernie-els-wins-for-the-first-time-on-the-pga-tour-champions?mbid=nl_030920_golfworld |date=9 March 2020 |access-date=9 March 2020 |magazine=Golf Digest |title=Ernie Els wins for the first time on the PGA Tour Champions |first=John |last=Strege}}</ref>

In October 2020, Els won the [[SAS Championship]] in [[Cary, North Carolina]]. Els shot a 6-under-par 66 in the final round to win by one stroke over [[Colin Montgomerie]].

In March 2023, Ernie carded a final round 65 to win the [[Hoag Classic]] at Newport Beach, California, by a single stroke.

Els won three times on the PGA Tour Champions in 2024: the [[Principal Charity Classic]] and [[American Family Insurance Championship]] in June and the [[Kaulig Companies Championship]], his first  major title, in July.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/40562818/ernie-els-wins-kaulig-companies-championship-first-senior-major-title |title=Ernie Els wins first senior major title at Firestone |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=14 July 2024}}</ref>

Els won his seventh PGA Tour Champions event at the season-opening 2025 [[Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story?id=43472848&_slug_=els-wins-mitsubishi-electric-7th-pga-tour-champions-title |title=Els wins Mitsubishi Electric for 7th PGA Tour Champions title |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=18 January 2025}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Els married his wife Liezl in 1998 in [[Cape Town]], and they have two children, Samantha and Ben. In 2008, after Els started to display an "[[Autism Speaks]]" logo on his golf bag it was announced that their then five-year-old son was [[autism|autistic]].<ref>{{cite news |date=11 March 2008 |title=Ernie Els speaks out over son's autism |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/11/sgels111.xml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080313223414/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/11/sgels111.xml |archive-date=13 March 2008 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref> Their main residence is at the [[Wentworth Estate]] near [[Wentworth Golf Club]] in the south of England. However, they also split time between South Africa and their family home in [[Jupiter, Florida]], in order to get better treatment for Ben's autism.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 May 2008 |title=PGA, Els Family Tee Up to Raise Awareness |url=http://www.autismspeaks.org/inthenews/pga_els_psa.php |access-date=23 July 2012 |publisher=Autism Speaks, e-Speaks}}</ref>

[[Samantha Els|Samantha]] made her debut for the [[South Africa women's national rugby union team|Springbok Women]], South Africa women's national rugby union team, against the San Clemente Rhinos, 19 September 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schenk |first=Heinz |title=Ernie Els' daughter, Samantha, to make debut for Springbok Women at lock |url=https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/springboks/ernie-els-daughter-samantha-to-make-debut-for-springbok-women-at-lock-20230919 |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Sport |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Mike |date=2023-09-19 |title=Ernie Els' Daughter To Make Springboks Rugby Debut |url=https://www.golfmonthly.com/news/ernie-els-daughter-to-make-springboks-rugby-debut |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Golf Monthly Magazine |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=van der Westhuyzen |first=Jacques |date=2023-09-19 |title=Ernie Els' daughter, Samantha, to make debut for Boks women's team |url=https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/ernie-els-daughter-samantha-to-make-boks-debut/ |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=The Citizen |language=en}}</ref> When not playing, Els has a golf course design business, a charitable foundation that supports golf among underprivileged youth in South Africa, and a [[wine]]making business.

In May 2025, Els was part of President [[Cyril Ramaphosa]]'s entourage that went to meet U.S President [[Donald Trump]] over allegations of Afrikaner genocide and persecution in South Africa.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Madia |first=Tshidi |title=Johann Rupert, Ernie Els to join Ramaphosa-Trump talks in the White House |url=https://www.ewn.co.za/2025/05/21/johann-rupert-ernie-els-to-join-ramaphosa-trump-talks-in-the-white-house |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=EWN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wasserman |first=Helena |title=Rupert says Ernie Els was driving force behind Ramaphosa, Trump meeting |url=https://www.news24.com/business/economy/rupert-says-ernie-els-was-driving-force-behind-ramaphosa-trump-meeting-20250520-1263 |access-date=2025-05-23 |website=News24}}</ref> 

=== Els-designed golf courses ===
*Anahita Golf Course – Beau Champ, Mauritius
*[[Mission Hills Golf Club]] (The Savannah Course) – Shenzhen, China
*Whiskey Creek – [[Ijamsville, Maryland|Ijamsville]], Maryland, USA
*Oubaai – [[Garden Route District Municipality|Garden Route]], South Africa
*The Els Club – [[Dubai]], UAE
*The Els Club Teluk Datai – [[Langkawi]], Malaysia
*The Els Club Desaru Coast – [[Desaru]], Malaysia
*The Els Club Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate – [[Gauteng]], South Africa
*The Els Club Vilamoura – Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal
*Highlands Gate Golf Course – Dullstroom, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

Els was also responsible for the refinement and modernisation of the West Course, Wentworth-Virginia Water, England, which took place in 2006.

Courses under construction include:

*Bridgesong - Blanchard, Oklahoma
*Hoakalei Country Club at Hoakalei Resort – [[ʻEwa Beach, Hawaii|ʻEwa Beach]], Hawaii<!-- this course appears to be completed and operational -->
*Albany – [[New Providence]], The Bahamas
*Ecopark – [[Hanoi]], Vietnam
*Durrat Al Bahrain Golf Course – [[Durrat Al Bahrain]], Bahrain<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.durratbahrain.com/en/explore/golf-course/golf.html |title=Durrat Al Bahrain |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829201322/http://www.durratbahrain.com/en/explore/golf-course/golf.html |archive-date=29 August 2009}}</ref>

===Internationalization of golf===
Unlike most of his contemporaries, Els is known for his willingness to participate in tournaments all around the world, having played regularly in European Tour-sanctioned events in Asia, Australasia and his native country of South Africa. He says that his globe-trotting schedule is in recognition of the global nature of golf. This has caused some friction with the [[PGA Tour]], an organisation that would prefer Els to play more tournaments in the United States. In late 2004, [[Tim Finchem]], the director of the PGA Tour, wrote quite a firm letter to Els asking him to do so but Els publicized and rejected this request.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davies|first=David|date=13 October 2004|access-date=10 April 2017|title=Els ready to play hardball with US Tour|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/oct/14/golf.daviddavies|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> The PGA Tour's attitude caused considerable offense in the golfing world outside of North America.

=== Foundation ===
The Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation was established in 1999. It has the objective of identifying youths from under-privileged backgrounds who show talent and potential in the game of golf. It provides educational assistance amongst other moral and financial help in order for these youths to reach their full potential.

The first Friendship Cup was played in 2006 which is a [[match play]] competition, played in a [[Ryder Cup]] type format. In the cup, Els's foundation plays against the foundation of [[Tiger Woods]]. Els's foundation won 12.5 points to 3.5 points.

Els has also participated several times in the Gary Player Invitational series of charity golf events, to assist Player in raising significant funds for underprivileged children around the world.

=== Autism-related activities ===
Since his son's autism diagnosis, Els and his wife have been active in charities devoted to that condition. This involvement has increased as Ben has reached school age. In 2009, Els launched an annual charity golf event, the Els for Autism Pro-Am, held at the [[PGA National Resort & Spa]] in [[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida|Palm Beach Gardens]] near his South Florida residence during the PGA Tour's March swing into the area. The first event, which featured many PGA Tour and [[Champions Tour]] golfers, raised $725,000 for The Renaissance Learning Center, a nonprofit [[charter school]] in the area for autistic children. The couple has also established the [[Els Center of Excellence]], which began as a drive to build a new campus for the aforementioned school in [[Jupiter, Florida]], but has since expanded into a $30&nbsp;million plan to combine the school with a research facility.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://together.pgatour.com/stories/liezl-els-committed-to-autism-awareness.html |title=Liezl Els Committed to Autism Awareness |publisher=PGA Tour Charities |date=11 March 2010 |access-date=16 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314060255/http://together.pgatour.com/stories/liezl-els-committed-to-autism-awareness.html |archive-date=14 March 2010}}</ref>

=== ASM Scholarships ===
Ernie Els co-founded an [[athletic scholarship]] agency called (ASM Scholarships), in October 2018. The company is a college recruiting service that works with athletes worldwide from various sports and helps them secure athletic scholarships to American universities within the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA. The company is owned by the ASM Sports Group, which has built a pathway for athletes from high school to college then professional sports or a career in a sporting job. In 2020 the company helped over 1000 athletes secure sport scholarships on average of $35,000 per year for student athletes, a total of $35,000,000. The company HQ is based in [[West Palm Beach]] Florida.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ernieels.com/golf/sponsors/asm-sports-group/ |title=Ernie Els and ASM Sports Group share a passion to place international student-athletes into American universities through sports scholarships}}</ref>

== Quotes ==
On his technique:
{{cquote|I've never been a very technical player. I don't get caught up in swing positions and mechanics. When I work on my swing...I'm looking for feels. You'll get better results—and often more distance—if you swing at eighty percent effort. I get all kinds of people telling me I have the best swing in the world—it's beautiful, it's effortless. But I know when that isn't true.|}}<ref>{{cite book |title=The Gigantic Book of Golf Quotations |editor-last=Apfelbaum |editor-first=Jim |year=2007 |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing |isbn=978-1-60239-014-0}}</ref>

—Els on his son's autism:

{{cquote|It's been a bit of a challenge ... It's so new to everybody, that a lot of people have different ideas. After seeing just about everybody in the world, I decided on this path we're going to go. Like any family will tell you, it's not easy. And it's a change of life, a change of priorities. You've got to be ready for it. And it's happening more often. I never knew about it, never thought about it, until it's in your lap.|}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/news/story?id=3282468 |title=Els seeks to help autism research after disclosing son has disorder |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |date=8 March 2008 |access-date=14 June 2013}}</ref>

==Amateur wins==
*1984 [[World Junior Golf Championships]] (Boys 13–14 division)
*1986 South African Boys Championship, [[South African Amateur Championship (golf)|South African Amateur]]
*1989 South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship

==Professional wins (79)==
===PGA Tour wins (19)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
| Major championships (4)
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| World Golf Championships (2)
|- 
| Other PGA Tour (13)
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|1
|align=right|20 Jun [[1994 PGA Tour|1994]]
|'''[[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]'''
|−5 (69-71-66-73=279)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Loren Roberts]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|14 May [[1995 PGA Tour|1995]]
|[[GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic]]
|−17 (69-61-65-68=263)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Robin Freeman (golfer)|Robin Freeman]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Heinen]],<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[D. A. Weibring]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|9 Jun [[1996 PGA Tour|1996]]
|[[Buick Classic]]
|−13 (65-66-69-71=271)
|8 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Elkington]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Lehman]],<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jeff Maggert]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Craig Parry]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|4
|align=right|15 Jun [[1997 PGA Tour|1997]]
|'''[[1997 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]''' (2)
|−4 (71-67-69-69=276)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|-
|align=center|5
|align=right|22 Jun 1997
|[[Buick Classic]] (2)
|−16 (64-68-67-69=268)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jeff Maggert]]
|-
|align=center|6
|align=right|22 Mar [[1998 PGA Tour|1998]]
|[[Bay Hill Invitational]]
|−14 (67-69-65-73=274)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bob Estes]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jeff Maggert]]
|-
|align=center|7
|align=right|21 Feb [[1999 PGA Tour|1999]]
|[[Nissan Open]]
|−14 (68-66-68-68=270)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Davis Love III]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Ted Tryba]],<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tiger Woods]]
|-
|align=center|8
|align=right|6 Aug [[2000 PGA Tour|2000]]
|[[The International (golf)|The International]]
|48 pts (15-19-6-8=48)
|4 points
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Phil Mickelson]]
|-
|align=center|9
|align=right|3 Mar [[2002 PGA Tour|2002]]
|[[Genuity Championship]]
|−17 (66-67-66-72=271)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tiger Woods]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|10
|align=right|21 Jul 2002
|'''[[2002 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]'''
|−6 (70-66-72-70=278)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Stuart Appleby]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Elkington]],<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Thomas Levet]]
|-
|align=center|11
|align=right|12 Jan [[2003 PGA Tour|2003]]
|[[Mercedes Championships]]
|−31 (64-65-65-67=261)
|8 strokes
|{{flagicon|KOR|1997}} [[K. J. Choi]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Rocco Mediate]]
|-
|align=center|12
|align=right|19 Jan 2003
|[[Sony Open in Hawaii]]
|−16 (66-65-66-67=264)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Aaron Baddeley]]
|-
|align=center|13
|align=right|18 Jan [[2004 PGA Tour|2004]]
|[[Sony Open in Hawaii]] (2)
|−18 (67-64-66-65=262)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Harrison Frazar]]
|-
|align=center|14
|align=right|6 Jun 2004
|[[Memorial Tournament]]
|−18 (68-70-66-66=270)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fred Couples]]
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
|align=center|15
|align=right|3 Oct 2004
|[[2004 WGC-American Express Championship|WGC-American Express Championship]]
|−18 (69-64-68-69=270)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|DNK}} [[Thomas Bjørn]]
|-
|align=center|16
|align=right|2 Mar [[2008 PGA Tour|2008]]
|[[The Honda Classic]]
|−6 (67-70-70-67=274)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Luke Donald]]
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
|align=center|17
|align=right|14 Mar [[2010 PGA Tour|2010]]
|[[2010 WGC-CA Championship|WGC-CA Championship]] (2)
|−18 (68-66-70-66=270)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Charl Schwartzel]]
|-
|align=center|18
|align=right|29 Mar 2010
|[[Arnold Palmer Invitational]] (2)
|−11 (68-69-69-71=277)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Edoardo Molinari]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Kevin Na]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|19
|align=right|22 Jul [[2012 PGA Tour|2012]]
|'''[[2012 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]''' (2)
|−7 (67-70-68-68=273)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Adam Scott (golfer)|Adam Scott]]
|}

'''PGA Tour playoff record (4–4)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|[[1994 PGA Tour|1994]]
|'''[[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]'''
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Loren Roberts]]
|Won with par on second extra hole after 18-hole playoff;<br>Els: +3 (74),<br>Roberts: +3 (74),<br>Montgomerie: +7 (78)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|2
|[[2000 PGA Tour|2000]]
|[[Mercedes Championships]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tiger Woods]]
|Lost to birdie on second extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|3
|[[2001 PGA Tour|2001]]
|[[The Tour Championship]]
||{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Sergio García]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[David Toms]],<br> {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Mike Weir]]
|Weir won with birdie on first extra hole
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|4
|[[2002 PGA Tour|2002]]
||'''[[2002 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]'''
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Stuart Appleby]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Elkington]],<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Thomas Levet]]
|Won with par on first extra hole after four-hole aggregate playoff;<br>Els: E (4-3-5-4=16),<br>Levet: E (4-2-5-5=16),<br>Appleby: +1 (4-3-5-5=17),<br>Elkington: +1 (5-3-4-5=17)
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|5
|[[2003 PGA Tour|2003]]
|[[Sony Open in Hawaii]]
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Aaron Baddeley]]
|Won with birdie on second extra hole
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|6
|[[2004 PGA Tour|2004]]
|[[Sony Open in Hawaii]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Harrison Frazar]]
|Won with birdie on third extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|7
|2004
|'''[[2004 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Todd Hamilton]]
|Lost four-hole aggregate playoff;<br>Hamilton: E (4-4-3-4=15),<br>Els: +1 (4-4-4-4=16)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|8
|[[2012 PGA Tour|2012]]
|[[Zurich Classic of New Orleans]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jason Dufner]]
|Lost to birdie on second extra hole
|}

===European Tour wins (28)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|Major championships (4)
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
|World Golf Championships (2)
|- 
|Other European Tour (22)
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|30 Jan [[1994 European Tour|1994]]
|[[Dubai Desert Classic]]
|−20 (61-69-67-71=268)
|6 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Greg Norman]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|2
|align=right|20 Jun 1994
|'''[[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]'''
|−5 (69-71-66-73=279)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Loren Roberts]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|19 Feb [[1995 European Tour|1995]]
|[[Lexington South African PGA Championship]]<sup>1</sup>
|−9 (65-71-71-64=271)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Roger Wessels]]
|-
|align=center|4
|align=right|26 Jan [[1997 European Tour|1997]]
|[[Johnnie Walker Classic]]<sup>2</sup>
|−10 (70-68-71-69=278)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Peter Lonard]], {{flagicon|NZL}} [[Michael Long (golfer)|Michael Long]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|5
|align=right|15 Jun 1997
|'''[[1997 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]''' (2)
|−4 (71-67-69-69=276)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|-
|align=center|6
|align=right|8 Feb [[1998 European Tour|1998]]
|[[South African Open (golf)|South African Open]]<sup>1</sup>
|−15 (64-72-68-69=273)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[David Frost (golfer)|David Frost]]
|-
|align=center|7
|align=right|17 Jan [[1999 European Tour|1999]]
|[[Alfred Dunhill South African PGA Championship]]<sup>1</sup> (2)
|−15 (67-69-69-68=273)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Richard Kaplan (golfer)|Richard Kaplan]]
|-
|align=center|8
|align=right|15 Jul [[2000 European Tour|2000]]
|[[Standard Life Loch Lomond]]
|−11 (69-67-68-69=273)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Lehman]]
|-
|align=center|9
|align=right|3 Feb [[2002 European Tour|2002]]
|[[Heineken Classic]]<sup>2</sup>
|−17 (64-69-69-69=271)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Peter Fowler]], {{flagicon|ENG}} [[David Howell (golfer)|David Howell]],<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Peter O'Malley (golfer)|Peter O'Malley]]
|-
|align=center|10
|align=right|10 Mar 2002
|[[Dubai Desert Classic]] (2)
|−16 (68-68-67-69=272)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Niclas Fasth]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|11
|align=right|21 Jul 2002
|'''[[2002 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]'''
|−6 (70-66-72-70=278)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Stuart Appleby]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Elkington]],<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Thomas Levet]]
|-
|align=center|12
|align=right|2 Feb [[2003 European Tour|2003]]
|[[Heineken Classic]]<sup>2</sup> (2)
|−15 (70-72-66-65=273)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Nick Faldo]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Peter Lonard]]
|-
|align=center|13
|align=right|16 Feb 2003
|[[Johnnie Walker Classic]]<sup>2,3</sup> (2)
|−29 (64-65-64-66=259)
|10 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Stephen Leaney]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Andre Stolz]]
|-
|align=center|14
|align=right|13 Jul 2003
|[[Barclays Scottish Open]] (2)
|−17 (64-67-67-69=267)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|NIR}} [[Darren Clarke]], {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Phillip Price]]
|-
|align=center|15
|align=right|7 Sep 2003
|[[Omega European Masters]]
|−17 (65-69-68-65=267)
|6 strokes
|{{flagicon|NZL}} [[Michael Campbell]]
|-
|align=center|16
|align=right|8 Feb [[2004 European Tour|2004]]
|[[Heineken Classic]]<sup>2</sup> (3)
|−20 (60-66-68-74=268)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Adam Scott (golfer)|Adam Scott]]
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
|align=center|17
|align=right|3 Oct 2004
|[[2004 WGC-American Express Championship|WGC-American Express Championship]]
|−18 (69-64-68-69=270)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|DNK}} [[Thomas Bjørn]]
|-
|align=center|18
|align=right|17 Oct 2004
|[[2004 HSBC World Match Play Championship|HSBC World Match Play Championship]]
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 2 and 1
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Lee Westwood]]
|-
|align=center|19
|align=right|6 Mar [[2005 European Tour|2005]]
|[[Dubai Desert Classic]] (3)
|−19 (66-68-67-68=269)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Stephen Dodd]], {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Miguel Ángel Jiménez]]
|-
|align=center|20
|align=right|13 Mar 2005
|[[Qatar Masters]]<sup>3</sup>
|−12 (73-69-69-65=276)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Henrik Stenson]]
|-
|align=center|21
|align=right|1 May 2005
|[[BMW Asian Open]]<sup>3</sup>
|−26 (67-62-68-65=262)
|13 strokes
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Simon Wakefield]]
|-
|align=center|22
|align=right|11 Dec 2005<br>([[2006 European Tour|2006 season]])
|[[Alfred Dunhill Championship|Dunhill Championship]]<sup>1</sup>
|−14 (71-67-68-68=274)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Louis Oosthuizen]], {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Charl Schwartzel]]
|-
|align=center|23
|align=right|17 Dec 2006<br>([[2007 European Tour|2007 season]])
|[[South African Airways Open (golf)|South African Airways Open]]<sup>1</sup> (2)
|−24 (67-66-66-65=264)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Trevor Immelman]]
|-
|align=center|24
|align=right|14 Oct 2007
|[[2007 HSBC World Match Play Championship|HSBC World Match Play Championship]] (2)
|colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| 6 and 4
|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Ángel Cabrera]]
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
|align=center|25
|align=right|14 Mar [[2010 European Tour|2010]]
|[[2010 WGC-CA Championship|WGC-CA Championship]] (2)
|−18 (68-66-70-66=270)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Charl Schwartzel]]
|-
|align=center|26
|align=right|19 Dec 2010<br>([[2011 European Tour|2011 season]])
|[[South African Open Championship]]<sup>1</sup> (3)
|−25 (65-65-67-66=263)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]]
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|27
|align=right|22 Jul [[2012 European Tour|2012]]
|'''[[2012 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]''' (2)
|−7 (67-70-68-68=273)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Adam Scott (golfer)|Adam Scott]]
|-
|align=center|28
|align=right|23 Jun [[2013 European Tour|2013]]
|[[BMW International Open]]
|−18 (63-69-69-69=270)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|DNK}} [[Thomas Bjørn]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[Sunshine Tour]]<br>
<sup>2</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[PGA Tour of Australasia]]<br>
<sup>3</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[Asian Tour]]

'''European Tour playoff record (2–5)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|[[1994 European Tour|1994]]
|'''[[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]'''
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Loren Roberts]]
|Won with par on second extra hole after 18-hole playoff;<br>Els: +3 (74),<br>Roberts: +3 (74),<br>Montgomerie: +7 (78)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|2
|1994
|[[Mercedes German Masters]]
|{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Seve Ballesteros]], {{flagicon|ESP}} [[José María Olazábal]]
|Ballesteros won with birdie on first extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|3
|[[1998 European Tour|1998]]
|[[Johnnie Walker Classic]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tiger Woods]]
|Lost to birdie on second extra hole
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|4
|[[2002 European Tour|2002]]
|'''[[2002 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]'''
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Stuart Appleby]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Elkington]],<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Thomas Levet]]
|Won with par on first extra hole after four-hole aggregate playoff;<br>Els: E (4-3-5-4=16),<br>Levet: E (4-2-5-5=16),<br>Appleby: +1 (4-3-5-5=17),<br>Elkington: +1 (5-3-4-5=17)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|5
|[[2004 European Tour|2004]]
|'''[[2004 Open Championship|The Open Championship]]'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Todd Hamilton]]
|Lost four-hole aggregate playoff;<br>Hamilton: E (4-4-3-4=15),<br>Els: +1 (4-4-4-4=16)
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|6
|[[2006 European Tour|2006]]
|[[Dubai Desert Classic]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tiger Woods]]
|Lost to par on first extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|7
|[[2012 European Tour|2012]]
|[[Volvo Golf Champions]]
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]], {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Branden Grace]]
|Grace won with birdie on first extra hole
|}

===PGA of Japan Tour wins (1)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runners-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|21 Nov [[1993 PGA of Japan Tour|1993]]
|[[Dunlop Phoenix Tournament]]
|−17 (68-69-65-69=271)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fred Couples]], {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Barry Lane]],<br>{{flagicon|JPN|1947}} [[Tsuneyuki Nakajima]], {{flagicon|JPN|1947}} [[Masashi Ozaki]],<br>{{flagicon|FIJ}} [[Vijay Singh]]
|}

===Asian Tour wins (3)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|16 Feb [[2003 Asian PGA Tour|2003]]
|[[Johnnie Walker Classic]]<sup>1,2</sup>
|−29 (64-65-64-66=259)
|10 strokes
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Stephen Leaney]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Andre Stolz]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|13 Mar [[2005 Asian Tour|2005]]
|[[Qatar Masters]]<sup>1</sup>
|−12 (73-69-69-65=276)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Henrik Stenson]]
|- 
|align=center|3
|align=right|1 May 2005
|[[BMW Asian Open]]<sup>1</sup>
|−26 (67-62-68-65=262)
|13 strokes
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Simon Wakefield]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[European Tour]]<br>
<sup>2</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[PGA Tour of Australasia]]

'''Asian Tour playoff record (0–1)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1
|[[2006 Asian Tour|2006]]
|[[Barclays Singapore Open]]
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Adam Scott (golfer)|Adam Scott]]
|Lost three-hole aggregate playoff;<br>Scott: −1 (4-3-4=11),<br>Els: +1 (4-3-6=13)
|}

===Sunshine Tour wins (15)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend
|- style="background:#f2ecce;"
| Flagship events (2)
|- 
| Other Sunshine Tour (13)
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|19 Jan [[1991–92 Southern Africa Tour|1992]]
|[[Protea Assurance South African Open]]
|−15 (65-69-69-70=273)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Derek James]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|25 Jan 1992
|[[Lexington PGA Championship]]
|−9 (69-66-65-71=271)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Ian Palmer (golfer)|Ian Palmer]], {{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Kevin Stone (golfer)|Kevin Stone]],<br>{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Wayne Westner]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|15 Feb 1992
|[[EVS South African Masters]]
|−13 (67-70-71-67=275)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Chris Williams (South African golfer)|Chris Williams]]
|-
|align=center|4
|align=right|29 Feb 1992
|[[Hollard Royal Swazi Sun Classic]]
|−19 (74-67-64-64=269)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Chris Davison]]
|-
|align=center|5
|align=right|22 Nov [[1992–93 Southern Africa Tour|1992]]
|[[FNB Players Championship]]
|−18 (68-68-65-69=270)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZWE}} [[Mark McNulty]]
|-
|align=center|6
|align=right|20 Dec 1992
|[[Goodyear Classic]]
|−12 (71-69-69-67=276)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Retief Goosen]]
|-
|align=center|7
|align=right|8 Jan [[1994–95 Southern Africa Tour|1995]]
|[[Bell's Cup]]
|−13 (69-67-69-70=275)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Hendrik Buhrmann]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[P. H. Horgan III]]
|-
|align=center|8
|align=right|19 Feb 1995
|[[Lexington South African PGA Championship]]<sup>1</sup> (2)
|−9 (65-71-71-64=271)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Roger Wessels]]
|-
|align=center|9
|align=right|21 Jan [[1995–96 Southern Africa Tour|1996]]
|[[Philips South African Open]] (2)
|−13 (65-70-74-66=275)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Brenden Pappas]]
|-
|align=center|10
|align=right|8 Feb [[1997–98 Southern Africa Tour|1998]]
|[[South African Open (golf)|South African Open]]<sup>1</sup> (3)
|−15 (64-72-68-69=273)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[David Frost (golfer)|David Frost]]
|-
|align=center|11
|align=right|17 Jan [[1998–99 Southern Africa Tour|1999]]
|[[Alfred Dunhill South African PGA Championship]]<sup>1</sup> (3)
|−15 67-69-69-68=273)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Richard Kaplan (golfer)|Richard Kaplan]]
|-
|align=center|12
|align=right|9 Dec [[2001–02 Sunshine Tour|2001]]
|[[Vodacom Players Championship]] (2)
|−15 (70-68-70-65=273)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]], {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Trevor Immelman]],<br>{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Alan McLean (golfer)|Alan McLean]], {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Martin Maritz]]
|-
|align=center|13
|align=right|11 Dec [[2005–06 Sunshine Tour|2005]]
|[[Dunhill Championship]]<sup>1</sup>
|−14 (71-67-68-68=274)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Louis Oosthuizen]], {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Charl Schwartzel]]
|-style="background:#f2ecce;"
|align=center|14
|align=right|17 Dec [[2006–07 Sunshine Tour|2006]]
|[[South African Airways Open (golf)|South African Airways Open]]<sup>1</sup> (4)
|−24 (67-66-66-65=264)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Trevor Immelman]]
|-style="background:#f2ecce;"
|align=center|15
|align=right|19 Dec [[2010 Sunshine Tour|2010]]
|[[South African Open Championship]]<sup>1</sup> (5)
|−25 (65-65-67-66=263)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Co-sanctioned by the [[European Tour]]

'''Sunshine Tour playoff record (0–1)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1
|[[1992–93 Southern Africa Tour|1993]]
|[[Hollard Royal Swazi Sun Classic]]
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Sean Pappas]]
|Lost to par on first extra hole
|}

===Other wins (21)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend
|- style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| World Golf Championships (1)
|- 
| Other wins (20)
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|Apr 1990
|[[Spoornet SA Classic]]
|
|
|
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|Jun 1990
|[[Highveld Classic]]
|
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Steve Burnett]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|23 Jun 1991
|[[Amatola Sun Classic]]
|−4 (70-72-67=209)
|
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Peter van der Riet]]
|-
|align=center|4
|align=right|16 Oct 1994
|[[Toyota World Match Play Championship]]
|colspan=2 align=center|4 and 2
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|-
|align=center|5
|align=right|6 Nov 1994
|[[Sarazen World Open]]
|−15 (67-73-68-65=273)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fred Funk]]
|-
|align=center|6
|align=right|18 Dec 1994
|[[Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship]]
|−16 (64-64-71-69=268)
|6 strokes
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Nick Faldo]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mark McCumber]]
|-
|align=center|7
|align=right|15 Oct 1995
|[[Toyota World Match Play Championship]] (2)
|colspan=2 align=center|3 and 1
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Elkington]]
|-
|align=center|8
|align=right|20 Oct 1996
|[[Toyota World Match Play Championship]] (3)
|colspan=2 align=center|3 and 2
|{{flagicon|FIJ}} [[Vijay Singh]]
|-
|align=center|9
|align=right|10 Nov 1996
|[[Johnnie Walker Super Tour]]
|−14 (67-71-71-65=274)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Ian Woosnam]]
|-
|align=center|10
|align=right|24 Nov 1996
|[[1996 World Cup of Golf|World Cup of Golf]]<br>(with {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Wayne Westner]])
|−29 (136-144-130-137=547)
|18 strokes
|{{USA}} − [[Steve Jones (golfer)|Steve Jones]] and [[Tom Lehman]]
|-
|align=center|11
|align=right|24 Nov 1996
|[[1996 World Cup of Golf|World Cup of Golf Individual Trophy]]
|−16 (68-72-65-67=272)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Wayne Westner]]
|-
|align=center|12
|align=right|18 Nov 1997
|[[MasterCard PGA Grand Slam of Golf]]
|−11 (68-65=133)
|3 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tiger Woods]]
|-
|align=center|13
|align=right|5 Dec 1999
|[[Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge]]
|−25 (67-66-64-66=263)
|5 strokes
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|-
|align=center|14
|align=right|3 Dec 2000
|[[Nedbank Golf Challenge]] (2)
|−20 (66-67-67-68=268)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Lee Westwood]]
|-style="background:#dfe2e9;"
|align=center|15
|align=right|18 Nov 2001
|[[2001 WGC-World Cup|WGC-World Cup]] (2)<br>(with {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]])
|−24 (64-71-63-66=264)
|Playoff
|{{DNK}} − [[Thomas Bjørn]] and [[Søren Hansen]],<br>{{NZL}} − [[Michael Campbell]] and [[David Smail (golfer)|David Smail]],<br>{{USA}} − [[David Duval]] and [[Tiger Woods]]
|-
|align=center|16
|align=right|20 Oct 2002
|[[Cisco World Match Play Championship]] (4)
|colspan=2 align=center|2 and 1
|{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Sergio García]]
|-
|align=center|17
|align=right|1 Dec 2002
|[[Nedbank Golf Challenge]] (3)
|−21 (70-65-69-63=267)
|8 strokes
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|-
|align=center|18
|align=right|19 Oct 2003
|[[HSBC World Match Play Championship]] (5)
|colspan=2 align=center|4 and 3
|{{flagicon|DNK}} [[Thomas Bjørn]]
|-
|align=center|19
|align=right|28 Nov 2004
|[[Nelson Mandela Invitational]]<br>(with {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Vincent Tshabalala]])
|−14 (64-66=130)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Simon Hobday]] and {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Lee Westwood]]
|-
|align=center|20
|align=right|9 Nov 2008
|[[Hassan II Golf Trophy]]
|−17 (69-67-71-68=275)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Simon Dyson]]
|-
|align=center|21
|align=right|20 Oct 2010
|[[PGA Grand Slam of Golf]] (2)
|−5 (68-69=137)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[David Toms]]
|}

'''Other playoff record (4–2)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|1
|1990
|[[Highveld Classic]]
|{{flagicon|ZAF|1982}} [[Steve Burnett]]
|
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|2
|1996
|[[Johnnie Walker Super Tour]]
|{{flagicon|WAL}} [[Ian Woosnam]]
|Won with par on first extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|3
|1996
|[[Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge]]
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|Lost to birdie on third extra hole
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|4
|2000
|[[Nedbank Golf Challenge]]
|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Lee Westwood]]
|Won with birdie on second extra hole
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|5
|2001
|[[2001 WGC-World Cup|WGC-World Cup]]<br>(with {{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Retief Goosen]])
|{{DNK}} − [[Thomas Bjørn]] and [[Søren Hansen]],<br>{{NZL}} − [[Michael Campbell]] and [[David Smail (golfer)|David Smail]],<br>{{USA}} − [[David Duval]] and [[Tiger Woods]]
|Won with par on second extra hole<br>New Zealand and United States eliminated by birdie on first hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|6
|2001
|[[Nedbank Golf Challenge]]
|{{flagicon|ESP}} [[Sergio García]]
|Lost to birdie on first extra hole
|}

===PGA Tour Champions wins (7)===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! Legend
|- style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|PGA Tour Champions major championships (1)
|- 
|Other PGA Tour Champions (6)
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner(s)-up
|-
|align=center|1
|align=right|8 Mar [[2020–21 PGA Tour Champions season|2020]]
|[[Hoag Classic]]
|−16 (66-64-67=197)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fred Couples]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Glen Day]],<br>{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Robert Karlsson]]
|-
|align=center|2
|align=right|11 Oct 2020
|[[SAS Championship]]
|−12 (70-68-66=204)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|-
|align=center|3
|align=right|19 Mar [[2023 PGA Tour Champions season|2023]]
|[[Hoag Classic]] (2)
|−13 (70-65-65=200)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Doug Barron (golfer)|Doug Barron]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Stricker]]
|-
|align=center|4
|align=right|2 Jun [[2024 PGA Tour Champions season|2024]]
|[[Principal Charity Classic]]
|−21 (62-68-65=195)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Stephen Ames]]
|-
|align=center|5
|align=right|9 Jun 2024
|[[American Family Insurance Championship]]
|−12 (71-64-69=204)
|Playoff
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Stricker]]
|-style="background:#e5d1cb;"
|align=center|6
|align=right|14 Jul 2024
|'''[[Kaulig Companies Championship]]'''
|−10 (70-68-64-68=270)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Yang Yong-eun]]
|-
|align=center|7
|align=right|20 Jan [[2025 PGA Tour Champions season|2025]]
|[[Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai]]
|−18 (67-65-66=198)
|2 strokes
|{{flagicon|DEU}} [[Alex Čejka]], {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Miguel Ángel Jiménez]],<br>{{flagicon|DEU}} [[Bernhard Langer]]
|}

'''PGA Tour Champions playoff record (1–2)'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|1
|[[2020–21 PGA Tour Champions season|2020]]
|[[Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fred Couples]], {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Miguel Ángel Jiménez]]
|Jiménez won with birdie on second extra hole<br>Couples eliminated by par on first hole
|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|align=center|2
|[[2024 PGA Tour Champions season|2024]]
|[[American Family Insurance Championship]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Stricker]]
|Won with par on first extra hole
|-style="background:#F2C1D1;"
|align=center|3
|[[2025 PGA Tour Champions season|2025]]
|[[The Ally Challenge]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Stewart Cink]]
|Lost to par on first extra hole
|}

==Major championships==
===Wins (4)===
{|class="wikitable"
!Year!!Championship!!54 holes!!Winning score!!Margin!!Runner(s)-up
|- style="background:#fbceb1;"
| [[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|1994]] ||[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] ||2 shot lead ||−5 (69-71-66-73=279) ||Playoff<sup>1</sup> ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]], {{flagicon|USA}} [[Loren Roberts]]
|- style="background:#fbceb1;"
| [[1997 U.S. Open (golf)|1997]] ||[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] (2) ||2 shot deficit ||−4 (71-67-69-69=276) ||1 stroke ||{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Colin Montgomerie]]
|- style="background:#abcdef;"
| [[2002 Open Championship|2002]] ||[[The Open Championship]] ||2 shot lead ||−6 (70-66-72-70=278) ||Playoff<sup>2</sup> ||{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Stuart Appleby]], {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Steve Elkington]],<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Thomas Levet]]
|- style="background:#abcdef;"
| [[2012 Open Championship|2012]] ||[[The Open Championship]] (2) ||6 shot deficit ||−7 (67-70-68-68=273) ||1 stroke ||{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Adam Scott (golfer)|Adam Scott]]
|}
<sup>1</sup>Defeated Montgomerie in 18-hole playoff and Roberts in sudden-death: Els (74-4-4), Roberts (74-4-5), Montgomerie (78) <br />
<sup>2</sup>Defeated Appleby and Elkington in 4-hole playoff and Levet in sudden-death: Els (4-3-5-4-par), Appleby (4-3-5-5), Elkington (5-3-4-5), Levet (4-2-5-5-bogey)

===Results timeline===
''Results not in chronological order in 2020.''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !! 1989 !! 1990 !! 1991 !! 1992 !! 1993 !! 1994 !! 1995 !! 1996 !! 1997 !! 1998 !! 1999
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|CUT
|T12
|T17
|T16
|T27
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|T7
|style="background:lime;"|'''[[1994 U.S. Open (golf)|1]]'''
|CUT
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|style="background:lime;"|'''[[1997 U.S. Open (golf)|1]]'''
|T49
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|T24
|T11
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|style="background:yellow;"|T10
|T29
|T24
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|CUT
|CUT
|T25
|style="background:yellow;"|T3
|T61
|T53
|T21
|CUT
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !! 2000 !! 2001 !! 2002 !! 2003 !! 2004 !! 2005 !! 2006 !! 2007 !! 2008 !! 2009
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|47
|T27
|CUT
|CUT
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|T66
|T24
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|style="background:yellow;"|T9
|T15
|T26
|T51
|T14
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|style="background:yellow;"|T3
|style="background:lime;"|'''[[2002 Open Championship|1]]'''
|T18
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|T34
|style="background:yellow;"|3
|style="background:yellow;"|T4
|style="background:yellow;"|T7
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|T34
|T13
|T34
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|style="background:yellow;"|T4
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T16
|style="background:yellow;"|3
|T31
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament !! 2010 !! 2011 !! 2012 !! 2013 !! 2014 !! 2015 !! 2016 !! 2017 !! 2018
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|T18
|T47
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T13
|CUT
|T22
|CUT
|53
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|style="background:yellow;"|3
|CUT
|style="background:yellow;"|9
|style="background:yellow;"|T4
|T35
|T54
|CUT
|T55
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|CUT
|CUT
|style="background:lime;"|'''[[2012 Open Championship|1]]'''
|T26
|CUT
|T65
|CUT
|61
|CUT
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|T18
|CUT
|T48
|CUT
|style="background:yellow;"|T7
|T25
|T66
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!2019!!2020!!2021!!2022!!2023!!2024
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]]
|CUT
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]
|T32
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|CUT
|CUT
|CUT
|WD
|}
{{legend|lime|Win}}
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
CUT = missed the half-way cut<br>
T = tied<br>
WD = withdrew<br>
NT = no tournament due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]]

===Summary===
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made
|-
|align=left|[[Masters Tournament]]         || 0 || 2 || 0 ||  3 ||  6 || 12 || 23 || 17
|-
|align=left|[[PGA Championship]]           || 0 || 0 || 2 ||  4 ||  6 || 12 || 25 || 19
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] || 2 || 1 || 1 ||  7 || 10 || 13 || 27 || 20
|-
|align=left|[[The Open Championship]]      || 2 || 3 || 2 ||  9 || 13 || 17 || 33 || 23
|-
!Totals                                    !! 4 !! 6 !! 5 !! 23 !! 35 !! 54 !! 108 !! 79
|}
*Most consecutive cuts made – 27 (2000 Masters – 2006 PGA)
*Longest streak of top-10s – 5 (2003 PGA – 2004 PGA)

==Results in The Players Championship==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!1993
!1994
!1995
!1996
!1997
!1998
!1999
|-
|align=left|[[The Players Championship]]
|CUT
|T45
|T68
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|style="background:yellow;"|T10
|T11
|T17
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!2000
!2001
!2002
!2003
!2004
!2005
!2006
!2007
!2008
!2009
|-
|align=left|[[The Players Championship]]
|T20
|CUT
|T44
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T26
|T17
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|T37
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|T45
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament
!2010
!2011
!2012
!2013
!2014
!2015
!2016
!2017
|-
|align=left|[[The Players Championship]]
|CUT
|CUT
|CUT
|CUT
|T72
|T66
|T64
|CUT
|}
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
CUT = missed the halfway cut<br/>
"T" indicates a tie for a place

==World Golf Championships==
===Wins (2)===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year!!Championship!!54 holes!!Winning score!!Margin!!Runner-up
|- style="background:#ffd6d6;"
|align=center|[[2004 WGC-American Express Championship|2004]]
|[[WGC-American Express Championship]]
|2 shot lead
|−18 (69-64-68-69=270)
|1 stroke
|{{flagicon|DNK}} [[Thomas Bjørn]]
|- style="background:#ffd6d6;"
|align=center|[[2010 WGC-CA Championship|2010]]
|[[WGC-CA Championship]] (2)
|Tied for lead
|−18 (68-66-70-66=270)
|4 strokes
|{{flagicon|ZAF}} [[Charl Schwartzel]]
|}

===Results timeline===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Tournament!!1999!!2000!!2001!!2002!!2003!! 2004 !! 2005 !! 2006 !! 2007 !! 2008 !! 2009 !! 2010 !! 2011 !! 2012 !! 2013 !! 2014
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-Match Play|Match Play]]
|R64
|R32
|style="background:yellow;"|4
|R32
|R64
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|R64
|R64
|R64
|style="background:yellow;"|QF
|R32
|R32
|R32
|R64
|style="background:yellow;"|4
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-Championship|Championship]]
|T40
|WD
|NT<sup>1</sup>
|T23
|T12
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''1'''
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|5
|T11
|75
|T20
| style="background:#0f0;"|'''1'''
|T15
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T28
|T52
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-Invitational|Invitational]]
|style="background:yellow;"|5
|T12
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|T15
|T17
|T65
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|T31
|T22
|T27
|T29
|T22
|T37
|T45
|T48
|T26
|-
|align="left"|[[WGC-HSBC Champions|Champions]]
|colspan=10 style="background:#D3D3D3;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|2
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|T33
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|T11
|T46
|}
<sup>1</sup>Cancelled due to [[September 11 attacks|9/11]]<br>
{{legend|lime|Win}}
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play<br>
"T" = tied<br>
WD = withdrew<br>
NT = No tournament<br>
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

==Senior major championships==
===Wins (1)===
{|class="wikitable"
!Year!!Championship!!54 holes!!Winning score!!Margin!!Runner-up
|-style="background:#FFFF99;"
| 2024 ||[[Kaulig Companies Championship]] || 1 shot deficit || −10 (70-68-64-68=270 || 1 stroke || {{flagicon|KOR}} [[Yang Yong-eun]]
|}

===Results timeline===
''Results not in chronological order''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
!Tournament!!2020!!2021!!2022!!2023!!2024!!2025
|-
|align=left|[[The Tradition]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:yellow;"|T4
|style="background:yellow;"|T3
|style="background:yellow;"|T2
|style="background:yellow;"|T3
|T19
|-
|align=left|[[Senior PGA Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|T16
|T14
|T37
|style="background:yellow;"|T6
|T35
|-
|align=left|[[Senior Players Championship]]
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|style="background:yellow;"|5
|style="background:yellow;"|T3
|style="background:yellow;"|T3
|style="background:lime;"|'''1'''
|T25
|-
|align=left|[[U.S. Senior Open]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|T17
|T13
|T12
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|T13
|-
|align=left|[[Senior British Open Championship]]
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT
|style="background:yellow;"|T8
|style="background:yellow;"|T3
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:#eeeeee;"|
|style="background:yellow;"|T5
|}
{{legend|lime|Win}}
{{legend|yellow|Top 10}}
{{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}}
"T" indicates a tie for a place<br>
NT = no tournament due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]]

==PGA and European Tour career summary==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
! !! colspan=3|PGA Tour !! colspan=3|European Tour
|-
!Season !! Wins (Majors) !! Earnings (US$) !! Rank<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.109.html |title=Official Money |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=2 October 2020}}</ref> !! Wins (Majors) !! Earnings !! Rank
|-
|1991 || 0 || 2,647 || 274 || 0 || £2,357 || –
|-
|1992 || 0 || 18,420 || 213 || 0 || £66,626 || 75
|-
|1993 || 0 || 38,185 || 190 || 0 || £162,827 || 34
|-
|1994 || 1 (1) || 684,440 || 19 || 2 (1) || £311,850 || style="background:yellow;"| 10
|-
|1995 || 1 || 842,590 || 14 || 1 || £82,459 || –
|-
|1996 || 1 || 906,944 || 14 || 0 || £209,148 || –
|-
|1997 || 2 (1) || 1,243,008 || style="background:yellow;"| 9 || 2 (1) || £359,421 || –
|-
|1998 || 1 || 763,783 || 36 || 1 || £433,884 || style="background:yellow;"| 8
|-
|1999 || 1 || 1,710,756 || 15 || 1 || €588,360 || 12
|-
|2000 || 1 || 3,469,405 || style="background:yellow;"| 3 || 1 || €2,017,248 || style="background:yellow;"| 3
|-
|2001 || 0 || 2,336,456 || 15 || 0 || €1,716,287 || style="background:yellow;"| 4
|-
|2002 || 2 (1) || 3,291,895 || style="background:yellow;"| 5 || 3 (1) || €2,251,708 || style="background:yellow;"| 3
|-
|2003 || 2 || 3,371,237 || style="background:yellow;"| 9 || 4 || €2,975,374 || style="background:lime;"| 1
|-
|2004 || 3 || 5,787,225 || style="background:yellow;"| 2 || 3 || €4,061,905 || style="background:lime;"| 1
|-
|2005 || 0 || 1,627,184 || 47 || 3 || €1,012,683 || 18
|-
|2006 || 0 || 2,326,220 || 28 || 1 || €1,716,208 || style="background:yellow;"| 5
|-
|2007 || 0 || 2,705,715 || 20 || 2 || €2,496,237 || style="background:yellow;"| 2
|-
|2008 || 1 || 2,537,290 || 20 || 0 || €674,098 || 42
|-
|2009 || 0 || 2,147,157 || 36 || 0 || €1,571,501 || 11
|-
|2010 || 2 || 4,558,861 || style="background:yellow;"|3 || 1 || €2,261,607 || style="background:yellow;"| 7
|-
|2011 || 0 || 948,872 || 93 || 1 || €591,508 || 51
|-
|2012 || 1 (1) || 3,453,118 || 16 || 1 (1) || €2,077,533 || –
|-
|2013 || 0 || 1,173,761 || 74 || 1 || €1,166,712 || 20
|-
|2014 || 0 || 1,799,569 || 55 || 1 || €986,230 || 37
|-
|2015 || 0 || 453,579 || 159 || 0 || €340,254 || –
|-
|2016 || 0 || 559,024 || 148 || 0 || €87,956 || 167
|-
|2017 || 0 || 155,926 || 207 || 0 || €137,697 || 157
|-
|2018 || 0 || 102,868 || 208 || 0 || €84,792 || 184
|-
|2019 || 0 || 304,590 || 186 || 0 || €199,789 || 146
|-
|2020 || 0 || 18,673 || 239 || 0 || €12,069 || 268
|-
! Career* !! 19 (4) !! 49,339,400 !! 11<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.110.html |title=Career Money Leaders |publisher=PGA Tour |access-date=2 October 2020}}</ref> !! 28 (4) !! €28,894,967 !! style="background:yellow;"|5<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/stats/career-money-list/ |title=Career Money List |publisher=PGA European Tour |access-date=2 October 2020}}</ref>
|}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> ''As of 27 September 2020.''

These figures are from the respective tour's official sites. Note that there is double counting of money earned (and wins) in the majors and World Golf Championships since they became official events on both tours.

== Team appearances ==
'''Professional'''
*[[Alfred Dunhill Cup]] (representing South Africa): [[1992 Dunhill Cup|1992]], [[1993 Dunhill Cup|1993]], [[1994 Dunhill Cup|1994]], [[1995 Dunhill Cup|1995]], [[1996 Dunhill Cup|1996]], [[1997 Dunhill Cup|1997]] (winners), [[1998 Alfred Dunhill Cup|1998]] (winners), [[1999 Alfred Dunhill Cup|1999]], [[2000 Alfred Dunhill Cup|2000]]
*[[World Cup (men's golf)|World Cup]] (representing South Africa): [[1992 World Cup (men's golf)|1992]], [[1993 World Cup of Golf|1993]], [[1996 World Cup of Golf|1996]] (Individual and team winners), [[1997 World Cup of Golf|1997]], [[2001 WGC-World Cup|2001]] (winners)
*[[Presidents Cup]] (International team): [[1996 Presidents Cup|1996]], [[1998 Presidents Cup|1998]] (winners), [[2000 Presidents Cup|2000]], [[2003 Presidents Cup|2003]] (tie), [[2007 Presidents Cup|2007]], [[2009 Presidents Cup|2009]], [[2011 Presidents Cup|2011]], [[2013 Presidents Cup|2013]], [[2019 Presidents Cup|2019]] (non-playing captain)
*[[Alfred Dunhill Challenge]] (representing Southern Africa): 1995 (winners)

== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=27em}}
*[[Big Easy Tour]]
*[[List of men's major championships winning golfers]]
*[[List of World Number One male golfers]]
*[[List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins]]
*[[List of golfers with most European Tour wins]]
*[[List of African golfers]]
*[[List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards]]
*[[Monday Night Golf]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{official website|https://www.ernieels.com}}
*{{PGATour player|06522}}
*{{EuroTour player|5576}}
*{{SunshineTour player|ELS001}}
*{{JapanTour player|10721}}
*{{OWGR|874}}
{{Commons}}
{{Golf world number ones (men)}}
{{navboxes
|title=Ernie Els in the [[Men's major golf championships|major championships]]
|list1=
{{U.S. Open champions}}
{{The Open champions}}
}}
{{PGA Tour Rookie of the Year}}
{{European Tour Order of Merit winners}}
{{European Tour Golfer of the Year}}
{{World Golf Championships winners|s||||s}}
{{Senior Players Championship champions}}
{{navboxes|title=Ernie Els in the [[Presidents Cup]]
|list1=
{{1996 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{1998 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{2000 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{2003 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{2007 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{2009 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{2011 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{2013 International Presidents Cup team}}
{{2019 International Presidents Cup team}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Els, Ernie}}
[[Category:South African male golfers]]
[[Category:Sunshine Tour golfers]]
[[Category:European Tour golfers]]
[[Category:PGA Tour golfers]]
[[Category:PGA Tour Champions golfers]]
[[Category:Winners of men's major golf championships]]
[[Category:Winners of senior major golf championships]]
[[Category:World Golf Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:South African expatriate golfers in the United States]]
[[Category:South African health activists]]
[[Category:Autism activists]]
[[Category:South African expatriate sportspeople in England]]
[[Category:White South African people]]
[[Category:Golfers from Johannesburg]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from George, South Africa]]
[[Category:Golfers from the Western Cape]]
[[Category:People from Virginia Water]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Germiston]]
[[Category:Golfers from Gauteng]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Presidents Cup competitors for International]]
[[Category:20th-century South African sportsmen]]