THEY WON’T FORGET ERNIE!
Els says goodbye to Augusta with a piece of advice for Rory
ERNIE ELS insists Rory McIlroy can avoid his fate and win a string of US Masters titles if he keeps “a good attitude”.
The Big Easy never won a Green Jacket despite six top-10 finishes and last night said his game was too “atrocious” to feel emotional about what was almost certainly his last appearance at Augusta.
McIlroy has now tried and failed to win the Masters nine times – and three times since his 2014 Open win completed the third leg of a career Grand Slam.
He came closest in 2011 when he took a four-shot lead into the final round, only to collapse with an 80.
McIlroy, 27, admitted before this event that every year that passes will make his Masters mission more difficult.
But Els said: “Rory’s so young still. He’s had a couple of chances already but it doesn’t seem like it’s burned him too much in the way he speaks about some of his close calls.
“And if he keeps a good attitude, I think he’ll be fine.
“He has the perfect game for Augusta. And I’m sure he can win it. Once he gets that first one, he can win a few.
“I believe in him because he’s got an all-around great game and he’s longer than I was at that age. And you need to be really long around here.”
Els, now 47, has slipped down to world No.410 and is playing here for the last year on a five-year exemption for winning the 2012 Open.
And the four-time Major winner admitted he never recovered from his 2004 heartache when he held the clubhouse lead only for Phil Mickelson (above) to nail a long birdie putt on the final green.
Yesterday was an unfitting Masters end for a great champion as he played with marker Jeff Knox in the first group of the day and shot a 78 to finish 20 over par.
“The crowd gave me a nice applause here and there and it was just nice to play,” he said. “The negative was that my play was atrocious and that’s hard to take.
“But if I look back, how many professional golfers get the opportunity to play the Masters 23 times? Having a chance to win it a couple of times was special but this tournament is just not for me.
“I’ve won a lot of events around the world but this one just eluded me and that’s fine. It’s a place you dream to get to so to play her so often has been great.”
Els will be able to play the Open until he is 65 as a previous winner but his US Open appearance in June could also be his last. He needs to get back into the world’s top 50 or win again to play the other Majors.
“I’m going to go out there at the US Open and try to play - I’m too young to get sentimental about the 20th anniversary of my last win,” he said.
“Who knows? If I win a Tour event I will be back at Augusta. If not, I have had a good time.”