Ernie looks to childhood memories of heroes’ wins to inspire 2015 challenge

ERNIE Els is 45 years old and the former world No 1 has slipped to 84th in the rankings. But he hasn’t given up hope that he can add a green jacket to his trophy collection by winning the US Masters beginning today.

“I’ve always felt Augusta National is the perfect course for my game, with my rightto-left shot shape, and I love the challenge the greens and surrounds provide with the short game,” he says.

“I’ve played some great golf here over the years, coming close twice before in 2000 and 2004 and obviously I’m hoping 2015 will be the year. There is some amazing talent out here again this year but I think the Masters is one place where experience has huge value.”

And the Big Easy certainly isn’t short of experience, having won close to 70 times around the world – including two British Opens and two US Opens. And if it wasn’t for a monster Phil Mickelson birdie putt on the 18th green in 2004 which gave the American the title by one shot over South Africa’s favourite golfing son, Els might well have had a green jacket by now.

“This tournament and this golf course combined have such an amazing history and I have some special memories from my childhood of watching the Masters on television and being inspired by the place and the players. “Like Gary Player winning in 1978 and getting that great bear hug from Seve on the 18th green.

“Then Seve – my boyhood hero – winning twice in the early ’80s. And obviously there was Jack winning in 1986, which I sat up and watched late into the night with my dad – what an amazing putt that was on 17!,” adds Els, who has played some good golf this year, notably last week in the second round of the Shell Houston Open where he made a string of back nine birdies to make the cut.

Els is drawn in today’s first round with 2007 Masters winner Zach Johnson and 2003 US Open champion Jim Furyk. The other South Africans in the line-up include Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and two former Masters winners in Trevor Immelman (2008) and Charl Schwartzel (2011).

Oosthuizen and Schwartzel have shown glimpses of good form, while Grace won twice in South Africa this past summer.