Ernie Els will once again lead the SA charge at The Open Championship starting at Royal Troon in Scotland on Thursday.
Though he has played in the last three Open Championships, the Big Easy has not made the weekend since 2019.
This week however, he will be taking some good form into the tournament he has won twice — in 2002 and 2012. The 54-year-old won his first senior major at the Kaulig Companies Championship on the US Champions Tour over the weekend, and could well be a dark horse this week.
Els is always an excellent bet as a dark horse, like he was in 2012 when he was a shock winner at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s when Australian Adam Scott faltered on the final nine holes to open the door for the South African.
Inspiration Big Easy
Els is a four-time major champion, as he also won two US Opens (1994 and 1997) and even if he cannot summon his best this week — there are a number of young SA players in the field that may seek out his advice. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Dean Burmester, Thriston Lawrence, Ryan van Velzen and amateur Altin van der Merwe will be teeing it up in Scotland and will take inspiration from playing alongside the veteran Els.
Louis Oosthuizen, 41, as the 2010 Open Champion and 49-year-old Darren Fichardt are also flying the flag for the Rainbow Nation, though they may not be hunting down Els for pointers like some of their younger compatriots this week.