It appears that Ernie Els has rejoined forces with longtime caddie Ricci Roberts. The duo worked together for all three of Els' major championship victories. They originally parted ways in September, 2006.
This puts an end to the 18-month partnership with his most recent caddie, J.P. Fitzgerald.
Well, maybe Ernie Els should have stayed in Wentworth this week. Els made a last-minute decision on Monday to travel over to the states to compete at The Memorial. Five days later, he has missed yet another cut.
Els didn't play over the weekend at the BMW and was riding little confidence into Muirfield. He should have stayed at home, practiced, and worked out some of the new swing changes being implemented by Butch Harmon. Els has very little time now to practice and tweak the swing before the U.S. Open.
After much speculation, Ernie Els announced on his website earlier today that he will not be playing in this week's Memorial Tournament, opting to stay at his home in Wentworth for the week. The move was expected by some, after he missed the cut at his home course last week. It's clear that the swing changes are going to take some time for Els, as he wrote on his website...
When I get it in the right slot I’m hitting some wonderful golf shots at the moment. But I’m still not 100 percent comfortable over the golf ball and, when you’re making changes, it’s not always easy putting it all together in a tournament situation. I just have to be patient, keep working hard, and trust that the results will come.
After taking the week off, Els will travel to the states for the Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis, and then head over to the west coast for the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines.
Alistair Tait of Golfweek had a chance to talk to Ernie Els at the BMW PGA Championship about the recent swing changes that have been implemented under the guidance of Butch Harmon. Els said:
We’ve got some tools now. It’s just little white sticks that we put on the ground and check my body alignment, my ball to target alignment. I’ve got a little thing you strap onto your right arm to shorten the backswing a little bit with a full shoulder turn.
It still feels a little uncomfortable now and again, but I’m a lot better than I have been.
We'll have a much better idea of how well the swing is holding up when the Big Easy heads over to Torrey Pines for the U.S. Open.
Butch Harmon made an interesting comment earlier today while being interviewed on the Grey Goose 19th hole on The Golf Channel. John Hawkins asked Harmon whether or not Ernie Els is ready to contend this week at the Masters. Harmon responded:
I think at Augusta National being such a difficult golf course, and one that requires such precise shot making, I think it would be a little bit of a stretch that Ernie could come right out and contend. But then again, he’s Ernie Els, so nothing would surprise me.
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I thought to myself, didn't Els just win the Honda Classic? How much of a stretch is it? But Els said during his press conference on Tuesday:
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Although I won, I still felt I wasn’t totally under control of the golf ball. And that’s not a great feeling to have.
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There aren't too many other PGA Tour golfers who can win tournaments when they don't feel comfortable with their swings.
In a surprising move, Ernie Els told CBSSports.com earlier today that he has parted ways with longtime coach, David Leadbetter, and has joined forces with Butch Harmon. Els and Harmon were first seen working together three weeks ago in Miami, and have been exchanging information via e-mail since. The announcement comes at an interesting time, three days before the Masters. Els said:
We have been friends for 20 years and will always be friends. I'm giving him a ticket here for this week. This is purely a professional thing
I don't want anybody thinking badly about Lead. This is basically a new set of eyes. It's a change of, how do you say, lingo. He says probably the same things, but just a little bit differently.
Geoff Shackelford had an interesting response on his blog to Els giving Leadbetter a ticket for the week:
Uh, Lead couldn't have got in otherwise? What, he's not paying his PGA of America dues?
Even though The Big Easy won the Honda Classic last month, it's clear that he knows his game isn't where it needs to be. He knows his three-year plan of challenging Tiger Woods for the number one spot in the world will remain unfulfilled without a major change. Obviously, the new equipment at last year's Masters wasn't enough.
Ernie Els withdrew earlier today from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, citing fatigue. If Els would have played this week, it would have been six tournaments in seven weeks leading up to the Masters. Els said earlier in the year that he would adjust his schedule in order to be better prepared and rested for the year's first major, which happens to be the tournament he wants to win more than any other. The decision makes a lot of sense.
Ernie Els won the Honda Classic by one stroke over Luke Donald on Sunday, ending a four year drought of winless golf on the PGA Tour. Though Els shot a 3-under 67 to win, it was Mark Calcavecchia's bunker shot that wouldn't stop rolling on the fifteenth green that handed the tournament over to the South African. The Big Easy must be relieved that he got through the Bear Trap intact, firing one of the lowest rounds of the day to win his 16th tour event. He moves up to third in the world golf ranking, passing Steve Stricker.
I wonder what is going through Ernie Els' mind as he approaches the Bear Trap with a share of the lead. There is no shortage of water on the final few holes at PGA National, and the last two times Els has been in contention at a tournament, he has hit three poor shots that have gone into the drink. The drama will start on the 15th hole, with a pin tucked very close to the water.
