A throwback to Ernie Els’ reply to a question that an amateur Tiger Woods posed in 1996 would forever change the face of golf by giving rise to a legend that the sport had never seen before. Woods and Els have shared a companionship since the 1990s, when Ernie was already a major winner and Woods barely stepped into professional golf. At that time, Woods had a rapport with Els that was unmatched, and he saw him as a mentor. Thus, during the 1996 Open Championship, Woods asked Els a question that would kickstart his journey to becoming one of the most influential names in sports.
Woods won the US Amateur three times, and everybody could see a golf legend in the making. Yet Woods wanted to confirm that he had it within him to be what the world saw in him. Ernie Els narrated a scenario from the 1996 Open Championship at Royal Lytham when he was having a beer after the prize-giving. Tiger sat next to him, and “he asked me what I thought of his game and if he was ready to turn pro.” In answer to that, Ernie replied, “Absolutely,” and he also talked about how he could see a Hall of Famer in the making.
Ernie Els’ Transforms Tiger Woods and Golf Forever
As stated by Ernie Els, Tiger Woods was very dominant in the 2000s while working with Butch Harmon. His swings were stunning, and the shots were perfect. His expertise was with the putter. Besides, he has a different level of confidence with Pebble Beach. Ernie also talked about how the golf GOAT stayed mentally stable under pressure and handled the challenge well.
“All those wins he had at Bay Hill when he made a putt down the hill there on the last hole, it was just incredible that he could summon it when he needed to. If you look at (Firestone in 2000) he hit that final approach shot to a foot in the dark. The shot at the Canadian Open he hit out of the bunker was ridiculous.”
Added to that, he compared Tiger Woods with Jack Nicklaus.
“The putts he made again and again when it mattered were just incredible. I think the only guy that could come close to him in making all those pressure putts was Jack Nicklaus. If you look at their careers of making putts in the clutch, they would be very even because I know that Jack made his fair share in the last few holes”.
Woods repeated such shots over and over again, unlike Jack Nicklaus, according to Els.
Ernie also talked about the 2003 Presidents Cup playoff and how representing the team in play-offs is a huge pressure. He further said that their team did make big putts, but Woods’ amazing putt overshadowed them all. Then, followed by that, Ernie made a huge putt. As the game continued, it was getting dark, and the association decided on a one-on-one match between Woods and Els, which he admits was very memorable and unforgettable. The golf veteran remembered Tiger saying that it was the most pressure he ever felt in his career, so it meant a lot to everybody.
All in all, that one firm validation of Tiger’s talent and his belief in himself as a player destined for greatness completely changed his life, and the sport of golf got a legend whose gameplay and success are unmatched to this day.
