Els at career crossroads

By Rob Hodgetts

Els won the last of his three majors at the Open in 2002

Thirteen years ago a young pro named Ernie Els and his girlfriend shacked up in a cheap motel in Pittsburgh.

Four days later, a glittering new star was born as the South African won the US Open in sweltering temperatures at Oakmont Country Club.

This week, the 37-year-old Els and his now-wife Liezl are joking about returning to the same motel for the year's third major, back at the Pennsylvania course for the first time since 1994.

But they are definitely only joking. Since beating Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts in a 18-hole play-off followed by two holes of sudden death, Els has become a multi-millionaire and one of golf's biggest names.

"Oakmont was a huge breakthrough for me," he said.

"It was a shock - I was only 24 - but it was something I needed to jump-start my career. I felt there was a lot more to come but it put a bit of pressure on me."

Els clinched another US Open, again ahead of Montgomerie, at Congressional in 1997 and won the Open Championship at Muirfield in 2002.

If you factor him [Woods] out, I think I would have won five or six majors by now Ernie Els

But for all his 61 tournament wins worldwide, two European Order of Merits, a nine-week spell as world number one and a private jet, Els' major haul seems sparse when set against his seemingly effortless talent.

The reason could be put down largely to two words: Tiger Woods.

The American clinched his first major at the Masters in 1997 and has notched up 11 more since then as he chases Jack Nicklaus' record of 19 major titles.

"If you factor him out, I think I would have won five or six majors by now," said Els.

Els has been one of Woods' main challengers over the past 10 years but the much-anticipated rivalry, in the mould of Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, never quite materialised.

Woods was immovable and Els lacked the staying power for a long fight, finishing second behind his nemesis seven times worldwide, including three times in play-offs.

In 2000, Els was runner-up in the first three majors of the year, twice behind Woods, and the psychological damage - the so-called "Tigeritis" - ran deep.

Els' fragile confidence took another blow when he squandered golden chances to win all four majors during Woods' rebuilding period in 2004.

I see now how hard it is to win a major Ernie Els

He lost the Masters to a Phil Mickelson birdie on the 18th, he took 80 in the final round at the US Open after starting two off the lead, he lost the Open at Royal Troon in a play-off to little-known American Todd Hamilton, and he three-putted the final green to miss a play-off for the USPGA by one shot.

The healing process took some time, but Els is still flying high at number five in the world despite not fully regaining the form he showed before missing much of 2005 with a knee injury sustained on a sailing holiday in the Mediterranean.

He has won twice in South Africa since, but hasn't won in America for three years. In April he missed the cut at the Masters - the first time in a major since the 1999 USPGA.

And the frustration is clear.

"Some people seem to get the impression I'm walking about like a wounded animal with a very sour look on my face," he said. "And in a way it's true. I just want to play to a different level, a level I know I can play at.

606: DEBATE Will Els win another major?

"I feel like my game is not bad but I've been saying that for two years."

Els senses he is facing a career crossroads and has set himself a three-year goal to overhaul Woods in the world rankings, and clinch some more majors along the way.

But he knows Oakmont, with its lightning-fast greens, a monster 288-yard par three and the longest par five in major history at 667 yards, will be no place for shrinking violets.

"Going back to Oakmont will be great," he said. "But this time I'm 37 and I'm going grey. And I see now how hard it is to win a major."