# Ernie Els

Theodore Ernest Els (/ˈɛls/; born 17 October 1969) is a South African professional golfer. A former World No. 1, he is nicknamed "The Big Easy" due to his physical stature along with his fluid golf swing. Among his more than 70 career victories are four major championships: the U.S. Open in 1994 at Oakmont and in 1997 at Congressional, and The Open Championship in 2002 at Muirfield and in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He is one of six golfers to twice win both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship.
Other highlights in Els's career include topping the 2003 and 2004 European Tour Order of Merit (money list), and winning the World Match Play Championship a record seven times. He was the leading career money winner on the European Tour until overtaken by Lee Westwood in 2011, and was the first member of the tour to earn over €25,000,000 from European Tour events. He has held the number one spot in the Official World Golf Ranking and until 2013 held the record for weeks ranked in the top ten with 788. Els rose to fifteenth in the world rankings after winning the 2012 Open Championship. He was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2010, on his first time on the ballot, and was inducted in May 2011.
Els now primarily plays on the PGA Tour Champions.

## Background and family

Growing up in Lambton, Germiston, South Africa, Els played rugby, cricket, tennis and, starting at age 8, golf. He was a skilled junior tennis player and won the Eastern Transvaal Junior Championships at age 13. Els first learned the game of golf from his father Neels, a trucking executive, at the Germiston Golf course, He was soon playing better than his father (and his older brother, Dirk), and by the age of 14 he was a scratch handicap. It was around this time that he decided to focus exclusively on golf. Els first achieved prominence in 1984, when he won the Junior World Golf Championship in the Boys 13–14 category. Phil Mickelson was second to Els that year. Els won the South African Amateur a few months after his 17th birthday, becoming the youngest-ever winner of that event, breaking the record which had been held since 1935 by Bobby Locke. Els contested the 1987 British Amateur Championship, qualifying from stroke play for the 64-player match play segment, but was knocked out there.

## Professional career
### 1989–1996: early years and first major win

In 1989, Els won the South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship and turned professional the same year. Els won his first professional tournament in 1991 on the Southern Africa Tour (today the Sunshine Tour). He won the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit in the 1991/92 and 1994/95 seasons. In 1993, Els won his first tournament outside of South Africa at the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan. In 1994 Els won his first major championship at the U.S. Open. Els was tied with Colin Montgomerie and Loren Roberts after 72 holes and they went to an 18-hole playoff the next day. In spite of starting the playoff bogey-triple bogey, Els was able to match Roberts' score of 74. Els birdied the second hole of sudden death to win his first U.S. Open title.
Els brought his game all around the world in his young career winning the Dubai Desert Classic on the European Tour, and the Toyota World Match Play Championship defeating once again Colin Montgomerie 4 & 2. The following year, Els defended his World Match Play Championship, defeating Steve Elkington 3 & 1. Els won the GTE Byron Nelson Classic in the United States then headed back home to South Africa and won twice more. In 1996, Els won his third straight World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, defeating Vijay Singh in the final 3 & 2. No player in history had ever managed to win three successive titles in the one-on-one tournament. Els finished the year with a win at his home tournament at the South African Open.

### 1997–2002: career years and multi-major championships

1997 was a career year for Els first winning his second U.S. Open (once again over Colin Montgomerie) this time at Congressional Country Club, making him the first foreign player since Alex Smith (1906, 1910) to win the U.S. Open twice. He defended his Buick Classic title and added the Johnnie Walker Classic to his list of victories. Els nearly won the World Match Play Championship for a fourth consecutive year, but lost to Vijay Singh in the final. 1998 and 1999 continued to be successful years for Els with 4 wins on both the PGA and European tours.
2000 started with Els being given a special honour by the board of directors of the European Tour awarding him with honorary life membership of the European Tour because of his two U.S. Opens and three World Match Play titles. 2000 was the year of runners-up for Els; with three runner-up finishes in the Majors (Masters, U.S. Open and The Open Championship) and seven second-place finishes in tournaments worldwide. In 2001 Els failed to win a US PGA tour event for the first time since 1994 although he ended the year with nine second-place finishes.
2002 was arguably Els's best year, which started with a win at the Heineken Classic at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club. Then went to America and outplayed World Number one Tiger Woods to lift the Genuity Championship title. The premier moment of the season was surely his Open Championship triumph in very tough conditions at Muirfield. Els overcame a four-man playoff to take home the famous Claret Jug trophy for the first time, also quieting his critics about his mental toughness. The South African also won his fourth World Match Play title, along with his third Nedbank Challenge in the last four years, dominating a world-class field and winning by 8 shots.

### 2003–2005: the Big Five

2003 gave Els his first European Tour Order of Merit. Although playing fewer events than his competitors Els won four times and had three runners-up. He also performed well in the United States with back to back victories at the Mercedes Championship – where he set the all-time PGA Tour 72-hole record for most strokes under par at 31 under – and Sony Open and achieved top-20 spots in all four majors, including a fifth-place finish at the U.S. Open and sixth-place finishes at both the Masters and PGA Championship. To top off the season Els won the World Match Play title for a record-tying fifth time. In 2003 he was voted 37th on the SABC3's Great South Africans.
2004 was another successful year as Els won 6 times on both tours, including big wins at Memorial, WGC-American Express Championship and his sixth World Match Play Championship, a new record. His success did not stop there. Els showed remarkable consistency in the Majors but lost to Phil Mickelson in the Masters when Mickelson birdied the 18th for the title, finished ninth in the U.S. Open after playing in the final group with friend and fellow countryman Retief Goosen and surprisingly lost in a playoff in the Open to the then-unknown Todd Hamilton. Els had a 14-foot (4.3 m) putt for birdie on the final hole of regulation for the Open at Royal Troon, but he missed the putt and lost in the playoff. Els ended the major season with a fourth-place finish in the PGA Championship, where a three-putt on the 72nd hole would cost him a place in the playoff. In total, Els had 16 top-10 finishes, a second European Order of Merit title in succession and a second-place finish on the United States money list.
2004 was the start of the "Big Five era", the era in golf in which Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Phil Mickelson dominated the game. The five switched up and down the top five positions in the World Golf Ranking; most notably Vijay Singh's derailment of Tiger Woods as the best golfer in the world. The five stayed, for the most part, in the top five spots from 2004 until the start of 2007. Nine majors were won between them, many fighting against each other head to head.
In July 2005, Els injured his left knee while sailing with his family in the Mediterranean. Despite missing several months of the 2005 season due to the injury, Els won the second event on his return, the Dunhill Championship. With his victory at the 2005 Qatar Masters, an event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Els became the second golfer after Lee Westwood to win on all six of the big tours on the International Federation of PGA Tours.

### 2006–2011: gradual recovery and comeback

At the start of the 2007 season, Ernie Els laid out a three-year battle plan to challenge Tiger Woods as world number one. "I see 2007 as the start of a three-year plan where I totally re-dedicate myself to the game", Els told his official website. When he missed the cut by two strokes at the 2007 Masters Tournament, Els ended tour-leading consecutive cut streaks on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour. On the PGA Tour, his streak began at the 2004 The Players Championship (46 events) and on the European Tour it began at the 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic (82 events)
Els has often been compared to Greg Norman in the sense that both men's careers could be looked back on and think what could have been. Although the two of them are multiple major championship winners, both share disappointment in majors. Their disappointments have ranged from nerves, bad luck, and being outplayed. 1996 was the year where Norman collapsed in the Masters, whereas the year before Els did in the PGA Championship. Nearly four years later, Els finished runner-up in the 2000 Masters Tournament, and again in 2004, losing to Phil Mickelson. Els has finished runner-up in six majors, finishing runner-up to Tiger Woods more than any other golfer, and has often been described as having the right game to finally be the golfer to beat Woods in a major.
On 2 March 2008, Els won the Honda Classic contested at PGA National's Championship Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Els shot a final round 67 in tough windy conditions, which was enough to give him the win by one stroke over Luke Donald. The win marked the end of a three and a half-year-long stretch without a win on the PGA Tour for Els. The win was also his 16th victory on the PGA Tour.
On 8 April 2008, Els officially announced that he was switching swing coaches from David Leadbetter (whom Els had worked with since 1990) to noted swing coach Butch Harmon. During Els's 2008 Masters press conference Els, said the change is in an effort to tighten his swing, shorten his swing, and get a fresh perspective.
Els finally did break his winless streak by capturing the WGC-CA Championship at Doral in 2010, winning by four strokes over fellow countryman Charl Schwartzel. It was Els's second WGC tournament title. The victory also saw Els overtake Colin Montgomerie to become the career money leader on the European Tour. Els then won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill two weeks later. It was his 18th PGA Tour victory, and his second in as many starts. The win at Bay Hill also vaulted Els to the top of the FedEx Cup standings. He held the top spot for 22 consecutive weeks.
In June, Els almost captured his third U.S. Open title at Pebble Beach. Els briefly held a share of the lead after birding the sixth hole, but was derailed by a stretch of bogey, double bogey, bogey on 9,10, and 11. Els finished the tournament in solo 3rd.
Els capped his year by winning the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in October, with a one stroke victory over David Toms, and also capturing the South African Open title by beating Retief Goosen by one shot.
After his successful 2010 season, Els struggled to find his form in 2011. He ultimately dropped out of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time since 1993.

### 2012–present: fourth major championship and career volatility

Els started the 2012 season in his home country at the Volvo Golf Champions where he finished in a tie for second place after he and Retief Goosen lost out in a playoff to Branden Grace. Els was next in contention at the Transitions Championship, where he needed a win to qualify for the 2012 Masters. Els led the tournament for most of the final round and had the lead outright until the 16th hole. However, he finished the tournament bogey-bogey missing a short three-footer on the last hole to make a playoff. The tournament was eventually won by Luke Donald. In April, Els failed to qualify for the Masters for the first time since 1993. He was ranked 58th in the world prior to the tournament (the top 50 are given automatic invitations). Ultimately, Els's unsuccessful bids to qualify for the Masters was viewed as the likely end of his competitiveness on the PGA Tour.
Els surprised the golfing world by winning the 2012 Open Championship in July by birding the 72nd hole. Adam Scott led by four shots after a birdie at the 14th hole, but bogeyed the final four holes to miss a playoff with Els by one stroke. Els's win rejuvenated his career and earned him 5-year exemptions to the other 3 majors. Els became the eighth player to win major tournaments in three different decades, joining his countryman Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Billy Casper, Raymond Floyd, John Henry Taylor, and Harry Vardon (Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have since become the ninth and tenth, respectively). Els's win also marked the third major champion out of the previous four major championships to be won with a type of long putter. His win reignited the controversy over the legality of long or anchored putters in golf.
In June 2013, Els won for the first time since the 2012 Open Championship at the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany. He claimed a wire-to-wire victory with a one-stroke win over Thomas Bjørn for his 28th European Tour title. Els moved up to 14th from 20th in the world rankings after the win.
Els struggled to find his form throughout the 2014 season. He finished 4th at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February, 5th at The Barclays and 7th at the PGA Championship, but struggled with missed cuts, including a missed cut at the Masters in April. Els's struggles continued into 2015 when he made only 10 cuts on the PGA Tour. He finished a 173rd in the FedEx Cup and failed to qualify for the playoffs. In preparation for the anchored putter ban in 2016, Els switched back to the short putter in late 2015. Els's struggles with short putts, or the "yips", became the draw of much media attention in early 2016. At the 2016 Masters Tournament, Els's putting was again the source of negative publicity when he six-putted from 3 feet on his opening hole. Els recorded a 9 on the hole and ended up shooting 80–73 and missing the cut. After the Masters, Els thanked his fans on his website for their support and was admittedly embarrassed by his putting performance.

### 2020: PGA Tour Champions debut

In January 2020, Els joined the PGA Tour Champions shortly after his 50th birthday. In January 2020, Els shot 72-65-65 to tie for the lead of his first PGA Tour Champions event, the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Fred Couples also qualified for the playoff. Jiménez won the event with a birdie on the second playoff hole.
In March 2020, Els won the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach, California. Els finished with a 4-under-par 67 to finish 54 holes in 16-under-par 197, two strokes ahead of Fred Couples, Robert Karlsson, and Glen Day. This was just Els's third start on the PGA Tour Champions.
In October 2020, Els won the SAS Championship in Cary, North Carolina. Els shot a 6-under-par 66 in the final round to win by one stroke over Colin Montgomerie.

### 2023

In March 2023, Ernie carded a final round 65 to win the Hoag Classic at Newport Beach, California, by a single stroke.

## Private life

Els married his wife Liezl in 1998 in Cape Town, and they have two children, Samantha and Ben. In 2008, after Els started to display an "Autism Speaks" logo on his golf bag it was announced that their then five-year-old son was autistic. Their main residence is at the Wentworth Estate near Wentworth Golf Club in the south of England. However, they also split time between South Africa and their family home in Jupiter, Florida, in order to get better treatment for Ben's autism.
Samantha made her debut for the Springbok Women, South Africa women's national rugby union team, against the San Clemente Rhinos, 19 September 2023. When not playing, Els has a golf course design business, a charitable foundation that supports golf among underprivileged youth in South Africa, and a winemaking business.

### Els-designed golf courses

* Anahita Golf Course – Beau Champ, Mauritius
* Mission Hills Golf Club (The Savannah Course) – Shenzhen, China
* Whiskey Creek – Ijamsville, Maryland, USA
* Oubaai – Garden Route, South Africa
* The Els Club – Dubai, UAE
* The Els Club Teluk Datai - Langkawi, Malaysia
* The Els Club Desaru Coast - Desaru, Malaysia
* The Els Club Copperleaf Golf and Country Estate – Gauteng, South Africa
Els was also responsible for the refinement and modernisation of the West Course, Wentworth-Virginia Water, England, which took place in 2006.
Courses under construction include:
* Hoakalei Country Club at Hoakalei Resort – Ewa Beach, Hawaii
* Albany – New Providence, The Bahamas
* Ecopark - Hanoi, Vietnam
* Durrat Al Bahrain Golf Course – Durrat Al Bahrain, Bahrain

### Internationalization of golf

Unlike most of his contemporaries, Els is known for his willingness to participate in tournaments all around the world, having played regularly in European Tour-sanctioned events in Asia, Australasia and his native country of South Africa. He says that his globe-trotting schedule is in recognition of the global nature of golf. This has caused some friction with the PGA Tour, an organisation that would prefer Els to play more tournaments in the United States. In late 2004, Tim Finchem, the director of the PGA Tour, wrote quite a firm letter to Els asking him to do so but Els publicized and rejected this request. The PGA Tour's attitude caused considerable offense in the golfing world outside of North America.

### Foundation

The Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation was established in 1999. It has the objective of identifying youths from under-privileged backgrounds who show talent and potential in the game of golf. It provides educational assistance amongst other moral and financial help in order for these youths to reach their full potential.
The first Friendship Cup was played in 2006 which is a match play competition, played in a Ryder Cup type format. In the cup, Els's foundation plays against the foundation of Tiger Woods. Els's foundation won 12.5 points to 3.5 points.
Els has also participated several times in the Gary Player Invitational series of charity golf events, to assist Player in raising significant funds for underprivileged children around the world.

### Autism-related activities

Since his son's autism diagnosis, Els and his wife have been active in charities devoted to that condition. This involvement has increased as Ben has reached school age. In 2009, Els launched an annual charity golf event, the Els for Autism Pro-Am, held at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens near his South Florida residence during the PGA Tour's March swing into the area. The first event, which featured many PGA Tour and Champions Tour golfers, raised $725,000 for The Renaissance Learning Center, a nonprofit charter school in the area for autistic children. The couple has also established the Els Center of Excellence, which began as a drive to build a new campus for the aforementioned school in Jupiter, Florida, but has since expanded into a $30 million plan to combine the school with a research facility.

### ASM Scholarships

Ernie Els co-founded an athletic scholarship agency called (ASM Scholarships), in October 2018. The company is a college recruiting service that works with athletes worldwide from various sports and helps them secure athletic scholarships to American universities within the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA. The company is owned by the ASM Sports Group, which has built a pathway for athletes from high school to college then professional sports or a career in a sporting job. In 2020 the company helped over 1000 athletes secure sport scholarships on average of $35,000 per year for student athletes, a total of $35,000,000. The company HQ is based in West Palm Beach Florida.

## Quotes

On his technique:
   I've never been a very technical player. I don't get caught up in swing positions and mechanics. When I work on my swing...I'm looking for feels. You'll get better results—and often more distance—if you swing at eighty percent effort. I get all kinds of people telling me I have the best swing in the world—it's beautiful, it's effortless. But I know when that isn't true.
—Els on his son's autism:
   It's been a bit of a challenge ... It's so new to everybody, that a lot of people have different ideas. After seeing just about everybody in the world, I decided on this path we're going to go. Like any family will tell you, it's not easy. And it's a change of life, a change of priorities. You've got to be ready for it. And it's happening more often. I never knew about it, never thought about it, until it's in your lap.

## Amateur wins

* 1984 World Junior Golf Championships (Boys 13–14 division)
* 1986 South African Boys Championship, South African Amateur
* 1989 South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship

## Professional wins (79)
### PGA Tour wins (19)

* Legend
* Major championships (4)
* World Golf Championships (2)
* Other PGA Tour (13)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
| 1 | 20 Jun 1994 | U.S. Open | −5 (69-71-66-73=279) | Playoff | Colin Montgomerie, Loren Roberts |
| 2 | 14 May 1995 | GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic | −17 (69-61-65-68=263) | 3 strokes | Robin Freeman, Mike Heinen, D. A. Weibring |
| 3 | 9 Jun 1996 | Buick Classic | −13 (65-66-69-71=271) | 8 strokes | Steve Elkington, Tom Lehman, Jeff Maggert, Craig Parry |
| 4 | 15 Jun 1997 | U.S. Open (2) | −4 (71-67-69-69=276) | 1 stroke | Colin Montgomerie |
| 5 | 22 Jun 1997 | Buick Classic (2) | −16 (64-68-67-69=268) | 2 strokes | Jeff Maggert |
| 6 | 22 Mar 1998 | Bay Hill Invitational | −14 (67-69-65-73=274) | 4 strokes | Bob Estes, Jeff Maggert |
| 7 | 21 Feb 1999 | Nissan Open | −14 (68-66-68-68=270) | 2 strokes | Davis Love III, Ted Tryba, Tiger Woods |
| 8 | 6 Aug 2000 | The International | 48 pts (15-19-6-8=48) | 4 points | Phil Mickelson |
| 9 | 3 Mar 2002 | Genuity Championship | −17 (66-67-66-72=271) | 2 strokes | Tiger Woods |
| 10 | 21 Jul 2002 | The Open Championship | −6 (70-66-72-70=278) | Playoff | Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, Thomas Levet |
| 11 | 12 Jan 2003 | Mercedes Championships | −31 (64-65-65-67=261) | 8 strokes | K. J. Choi, Rocco Mediate |
| 12 | 19 Jan 2003 | Sony Open in Hawaii | −16 (66-65-66-67=264) | Playoff | Aaron Baddeley |
| 13 | 18 Jan 2004 | Sony Open in Hawaii (2) | −18 (67-64-66-65=262) | Playoff | Harrison Frazar |
| 14 | 6 Jun 2004 | Memorial Tournament | −18 (68-70-66-66=270) | 4 strokes | Fred Couples |
| 15 | 3 Oct 2004 | WGC-American Express Championship | −18 (69-64-68-69=270) | 1 stroke | Thomas Bjørn |
| 16 | 2 Mar 2008 | The Honda Classic | −6 (67-70-70-67=274) | 1 stroke | Luke Donald |
| 17 | 14 Mar 2010 | WGC-CA Championship (2) | −18 (68-66-70-66=270) | 4 strokes | Charl Schwartzel |
| 18 | 29 Mar 2010 | Arnold Palmer Invitational (2) | −11 (68-69-69-71=277) | 2 strokes | Edoardo Molinari, Kevin Na |
| 19 | 22 Jul 2012 | The Open Championship (2) | −7 (67-70-68-68=273) | 1 stroke | Adam Scott |
PGA Tour playoff record (4–4)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
| 1 | 1994 | U.S. Open | Colin Montgomerie, Loren Roberts | Won with par on second extra hole after 18-hole playoff; Els: +3 (74), Roberts: +3 (74), Montgomerie: +7 (78) |
| 2 | 2000 | Mercedes Championships | Tiger Woods | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
| 3 | 2001 | The Tour Championship | Sergio García, David Toms, Mike Weir | Weir won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 4 | 2002 | The Open Championship | Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, Thomas Levet | Won with par on first extra hole after four-hole aggregate playoff; Els: E (4-3-5-4=16), Levet: E (4-2-5-5=16), Appleby: +1 (4-3-5-5=17), Elkington: +1 (5-3-4-5=17) |
| 5 | 2003 | Sony Open in Hawaii | Aaron Baddeley | Won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 6 | 2004 | Sony Open in Hawaii | Harrison Frazar | Won with birdie on third extra hole |
| 7 | 2004 | The Open Championship | Todd Hamilton | Lost four-hole aggregate playoff; Hamilton: E (4-4-3-4=15), Els: +1 (4-4-4-4=16) |
| 8 | 2012 | Zurich Classic of New Orleans | Jason Dufner | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |

### European Tour wins (28)

* Legend
* Major championships (4)
* World Golf Championships (2)
* Other European Tour (22)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
| 1 | 30 Jan 1994 | Dubai Desert Classic | −20 (61-69-67-71=268) | 6 strokes | Greg Norman |
| 2 | 20 Jun 1994 | U.S. Open | −5 (69-71-66-73=279) | Playoff | Colin Montgomerie, Loren Roberts |
| 3 | 19 Feb 1995 | Lexington South African PGA Championship$^1$ | −9 (65-71-71-64=271) | 2 strokes | Roger Wessels |
| 4 | 26 Jan 1997 | Johnnie Walker Classic$^2$ | −10 (70-68-71-69=278) | 1 stroke | Peter Lonard, Michael Long |
| 5 | 15 Jun 1997 | U.S. Open (2) | −4 (71-67-69-69=276) | 1 stroke | Colin Montgomerie |
| 6 | 8 Feb 1998 | South African Open$^1$ | −15 (64-72-68-69=273) | 3 strokes | David Frost |
| 7 | 17 Jan 1999 | Alfred Dunhill South African PGA Championship$^1$ (2) | −15 (67-69-69-68=273) | 4 strokes | Richard Kaplan |
| 8 | 15 Jul 2000 | Standard Life Loch Lomond | −11 (69-67-68-69=273) | 1 stroke | Tom Lehman |
| 9 | 3 Feb 2002 | Heineken Classic$^2$ | −17 (64-69-69-69=271) | 5 strokes | Peter Fowler, David Howell, Peter O'Malley |
| 10 | 10 Mar 2002 | Dubai Desert Classic (2) | −16 (68-68-67-69=272) | 4 strokes | Niclas Fasth |
| 11 | 21 Jul 2002 | The Open Championship | −6 (70-66-72-70=278) | Playoff | Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, Thomas Levet |
| 12 | 2 Feb 2003 | Heineken Classic$^2$ (2) | −15 (70-72-66-65=273) | 1 stroke | Nick Faldo, Peter Lonard |
| 13 | 16 Feb 2003 | Johnnie Walker Classic$^{2,3}$ (2) | −29 (64-65-64-66=259) | 10 strokes | Stephen Leaney, Andre Stolz |
| 14 | 13 Jul 2003 | Barclays Scottish Open (2) | −17 (64-67-67-69=267) | 5 strokes | Darren Clarke, Phillip Price |
| 15 | 7 Sep 2003 | Omega European Masters | −17 (65-69-68-65=267) | 6 strokes | Michael Campbell |
| 16 | 8 Feb 2004 | Heineken Classic$^2$ (3) | −20 (60-66-68-74=268) | 1 stroke | Adam Scott |
| 17 | 3 Oct 2004 | WGC-American Express Championship | −18 (69-64-68-69=270) | 1 stroke | Thomas Bjørn |
| 18 | 17 Oct 2004 | HSBC World Match Play Championship | 2 and 1 | 2 and 1 | Lee Westwood |
| 19 | 6 Mar 2005 | Dubai Desert Classic (3) | −19 (66-68-67-68=269) | 1 stroke | Stephen Dodd, Miguel Ángel Jiménez |
| 20 | 13 Mar 2005 | Qatar Masters$^3$ | −12 (73-69-69-65=276) | 1 stroke | Henrik Stenson |
| 21 | 1 May 2005 | BMW Asian Open$^3$ | −26 (67-62-68-65=262) | 13 strokes | Simon Wakefield |
| 22 | 11 Dec 2005 (2006 season) | Dunhill Championship$^1$ | −14 (71-67-68-68=274) | 3 strokes | Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel |
| 23 | 17 Dec 2006 (2007 season) | South African Airways Open$^1$ (2) | −24 (67-66-66-65=264) | 3 strokes | Trevor Immelman |
| 24 | 14 Oct 2007 | HSBC World Match Play Championship (2) | 6 and 4 | 6 and 4 | Ángel Cabrera |
| 25 | 14 Mar 2010 | WGC-CA Championship (2) | −18 (68-66-70-66=270) | 4 strokes | Charl Schwartzel |
| 26 | 19 Dec 2010 (2011 season) | South African Open Championship$^1$ (3) | −25 (65-65-67-66=263) | 1 stroke | Retief Goosen |
| 27 | 22 Jul 2012 | The Open Championship (2) | −7 (67-70-68-68=273) | 1 stroke | Adam Scott |
| 28 | 23 Jun 2013 | BMW International Open | −18 (63-69-69-69=270) | 1 stroke | Thomas Bjørn |
$^1$Co-sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour $^2$Co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia $^3$Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour
European Tour playoff record (2–5)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
| 1 | 1994 | U.S. Open | Colin Montgomerie, Loren Roberts | Won with par on second extra hole after 18-hole playoff; Els: +3 (74), Roberts: +3 (74), Montgomerie: +7 (78) |
| 2 | 1994 | Mercedes German Masters | Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal | Ballesteros won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 3 | 1998 | Johnnie Walker Classic | Tiger Woods | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
| 4 | 2002 | The Open Championship | Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, Thomas Levet | Won with par on first extra hole after four-hole aggregate playoff; Els: E (4-3-5-4=16), Levet: E (4-2-5-5=16), Appleby: +1 (4-3-5-5=17), Elkington: +1 (5-3-4-5=17) |
| 5 | 2004 | The Open Championship | Todd Hamilton | Lost four-hole aggregate playoff; Hamilton: E (4-4-3-4=15), Els: +1 (4-4-4-4=16) |
| 6 | 2006 | Dubai Desert Classic | Tiger Woods | Lost to par on first extra hole |
| 7 | 2012 | Volvo Golf Champions | Retief Goosen, Branden Grace | Grace won with birdie on first extra hole |

### PGA of Japan Tour wins (1)

| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runners-up |
| 1 | 21 Nov 1993 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament | −17 (68-69-65-69=271) | 4 strokes | Fred Couples, Barry Lane, Tsuneyuki Nakajima, Masashi Ozaki, Vijay Singh |

### Asian Tour wins (3)

| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
| 1 | 16 Feb 2003 | Johnnie Walker Classic$^{1,2}$ | −29 (64-65-64-66=259) | 10 strokes | Stephen Leaney, Andre Stolz |
| 2 | 13 Mar 2005 | Qatar Masters$^1$ | −12 (73-69-69-65=276) | 1 stroke | Henrik Stenson |
| 3 | 1 May 2005 | BMW Asian Open$^1$ | −26 (67-62-68-65=262) | 13 strokes | Simon Wakefield |
$^1$Co-sanctioned by the European Tour $^2$Co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia
Asian Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
| 1 | 2006 | Barclays Singapore Open | Adam Scott | Lost three-hole aggregate playoff; Scott: −1 (4-3-4=11), Els: +1 (4-3-6=13) |

### Sunshine Tour wins (15)

* Legend
* Flagship events (2)
* Other Sunshine Tour (13)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
| 1 | 19 Jan 1992 | Protea Assurance South African Open | −15 (65-69-69-70=273) | 3 strokes | Derek James |
| 2 | 25 Jan 1992 | Lexington PGA Championship | −9 (69-66-65-71=271) | 1 stroke | Ian Palmer, Kevin Stone, Wayne Westner |
| 3 | 15 Feb 1992 | EVS South African Masters | −13 (67-70-71-67=275) | 1 stroke | Chris Williams |
| 4 | 29 Feb 1992 | Hollard Royal Swazi Sun Classic | −19 (74-67-64-64=269) | 1 stroke | Chris Davison |
| 5 | 22 Nov 1992 | FNB Players Championship | −18 (68-68-65-69=270) | 4 strokes | Mark McNulty |
| 6 | 20 Dec 1992 | Goodyear Classic | −12 (71-69-69-67=276) | 2 strokes | Retief Goosen |
| 7 | 8 Jan 1995 | Bell's Cup | −13 (69-67-69-70=275) | 5 strokes | Hendrik Buhrmann, P. H. Horgan III |
| 8 | 19 Feb 1995 | Lexington South African PGA Championship$^1$ (2) | −9 (65-71-71-64=271) | 2 strokes | Roger Wessels |
| 9 | 21 Jan 1996 | Philips South African Open (2) | −13 (65-70-74-66=275) | 1 stroke | Brenden Pappas |
| 10 | 8 Feb 1998 | South African Open$^1$ (3) | −15 (64-72-68-69=273) | 3 strokes | David Frost |
| 11 | 17 Jan 1999 | Alfred Dunhill South African PGA Championship$^1$ (3) | −15 67-69-69-68=273) | 4 strokes | Richard Kaplan |
| 12 | 9 Dec 2001 | Vodacom Players Championship (2) | −15 (70-68-70-65=273) | 1 stroke | Retief Goosen, Trevor Immelman, Alan McLean, Martin Maritz |
| 13 | 11 Dec 2005 | Dunhill Championship$^1$ | −14 (71-67-68-68=274) | 3 strokes | Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel |
| 14 | 17 Dec 2006 | South African Airways Open$^1$ (4) | −24 (67-66-66-65=264) | 3 strokes | Trevor Immelman |
| 15 | 19 Dec 2010 | South African Open Championship$^1$ (5) | −25 (65-65-67-66=263) | 1 stroke | Retief Goosen |
$^1$Co-sanctioned by the European Tour
Sunshine Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
| 1 | 1993 | Hollard Royal Swazi Sun Classic | Sean Pappas | Lost to par on first extra hole |

### Other wins (21)

* Legend
* World Golf Championships (1)
* Other wins (20)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
| 1 | Apr 1990 | Spoornet SA Classic | | | |
| 2 | Jun 1990 | Highveld Classic | | Playoff | Steve Burnett |
| 3 | 23 Jun 1991 | Amatola Sun Classic | −4 (70-72-67=209) | | Peter van der Riet |
| 4 | 16 Oct 1994 | Toyota World Match Play Championship | 4 and 2 | 4 and 2 | Colin Montgomerie |
| 5 | 6 Nov 1994 | Sarazen World Open | −15 (67-73-68-65=273) | 3 strokes | Fred Funk |
| 6 | 18 Dec 1994 | Johnnie Walker World Golf Championship | −16 (64-64-71-69=268) | 6 strokes | Nick Faldo, Mark McCumber |
| 7 | 15 Oct 1995 | Toyota World Match Play Championship (2) | 3 and 1 | 3 and 1 | Steve Elkington |
| 8 | 20 Oct 1996 | Toyota World Match Play Championship (3) | 3 and 2 | 3 and 2 | Vijay Singh |
| 9 | 10 Nov 1996 | Johnnie Walker Super Tour | −14 (67-71-71-65=274) | Playoff | Ian Woosnam |
| 10 | 24 Nov 1996 | World Cup of Golf (with Wayne Westner) | −29 (136-144-130-137=547) | 18 strokes | United States − Steve Jones and Tom Lehman |
| 11 | 24 Nov 1996 | World Cup of Golf Individual Trophy | −16 (68-72-65-67=272) | 3 strokes | Wayne Westner |
| 12 | 18 Nov 1997 | MasterCard PGA Grand Slam of Golf | −11 (68-65=133) | 3 strokes | Tiger Woods |
| 13 | 5 Dec 1999 | Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge | −25 (67-66-64-66=263) | 5 strokes | Colin Montgomerie |
| 14 | 3 Dec 2000 | Nedbank Golf Challenge (2) | −20 (66-67-67-68=268) | Playoff | Lee Westwood |
| 15 | 18 Nov 2001 | WGC-World Cup (2) (with Retief Goosen) | −24 (64-71-63-66=264) | Playoff | Denmark − Thomas Bjørn and Søren Hansen, New Zealand − Michael Campbell and David Smail, United States − David Duval and Tiger Woods |
| 16 | 20 Oct 2002 | Cisco World Match Play Championship (4) | 2 and 1 | 2 and 1 | Sergio García |
| 17 | 1 Dec 2002 | Nedbank Golf Challenge (3) | −21 (70-65-69-63=267) | 8 strokes | Colin Montgomerie |
| 18 | 19 Oct 2003 | HSBC World Match Play Championship (5) | 4 and 3 | 4 and 3 | Thomas Bjørn |
| 19 | 28 Nov 2004 | Nelson Mandela Invitational (with Vincent Tshabalala) | −14 (64-66=130) | 1 stroke | Simon Hobday and Lee Westwood |
| 20 | 9 Nov 2008 | Hassan II Golf Trophy | −17 (69-67-71-68=275) | 2 strokes | Simon Dyson |
| 21 | 20 Oct 2010 | PGA Grand Slam of Golf (2) | −5 (68-69=137) | 1 stroke | David Toms |
Other playoff record (4–2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
| 1 | 1990 | Highveld Classic | Steve Burnett | |
| 2 | 1996 | Johnnie Walker Super Tour | Ian Woosnam | Won with par on first extra hole |
| 3 | 1996 | Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge | Colin Montgomerie | Lost to birdie on third extra hole |
| 4 | 2000 | Nedbank Golf Challenge | Lee Westwood | Won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 5 | 2001 | WGC-World Cup (with Retief Goosen) | Denmark − Thomas Bjørn and Søren Hansen, New Zealand − Michael Campbell and David Smail, United States − David Duval and Tiger Woods | Won with par on second extra hole New Zealand and United States eliminated by birdie on first hole |
| 6 | 2001 | Nedbank Golf Challenge | Sergio García | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |

### PGA Tour Champions wins (7)

* Legend
* PGA Tour Champions major championships (1)
* Other PGA Tour Champions (6)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
| 1 | 8 Mar 2020 | Hoag Classic | −16 (66-64-67=197) | 2 strokes | Fred Couples, Glen Day, Robert Karlsson |
| 2 | 11 Oct 2020 | SAS Championship | −12 (70-68-66=204) | 1 stroke | Colin Montgomerie |
| 3 | 19 Mar 2023 | Hoag Classic (2) | −13 (70-65-65=200) | 1 stroke | Doug Barron, Steve Stricker |
| 4 | 2 Jun 2024 | Principal Charity Classic | −21 (62-68-65=195) | 2 strokes | Stephen Ames |
| 5 | 9 Jun 2024 | American Family Insurance Championship | −12 (71-64-69=204) | Playoff | Steve Stricker |
| 6 | 14 Jul 2024 | Kaulig Companies Championship | −10 (70-68-64-68=270) | 1 stroke | Yang Yong-eun |
| 7 | 20 Jan 2025 | Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai | −18 (67-65-66=198) | 2 strokes | Alex Čejka, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Bernhard Langer |
PGA Tour Champions playoff record (1–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
| 1 | 2020 | Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai | Fred Couples, Miguel Ángel Jiménez | Jiménez won with birdie on second extra hole Couples eliminated by par on first hole |
| 2 | 2024 | American Family Insurance Championship | Steve Stricker | Won with par on first extra hole |

## Major championships
### Wins (4)

| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
| 1994 | U.S. Open | 2 shot lead | −5 (69-71-66-73=279) | Playoff$^1$ | Colin Montgomerie, Loren Roberts |
| 1997 | U.S. Open (2) | 2 shot deficit | −4 (71-67-69-69=276) | 1 stroke | Colin Montgomerie |
| 2002 | The Open Championship | 2 shot lead | −6 (70-66-72-70=278) | Playoff$^2$ | Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, Thomas Levet |
| 2012 | The Open Championship (2) | 6 shot deficit | −7 (67-70-68-68=273) | 1 stroke | Adam Scott |
$^1$Defeated Montgomerie in 18-hole playoff and Roberts in sudden-death: Els (74-4-4), Roberts (74-4-5), Montgomerie (78)
$^2$Defeated Appleby and Elkington in 4-hole playoff and Levet in sudden-death: Els (4-3-5-4-par), Appleby (4-3-5-5), Elkington (5-3-4-5), Levet (4-2-5-5-bogey)

### Results timeline

Results not in chronological order in 2020.
| Tournament | 1989 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| Masters Tournament | | | | T8 | CUT | T12 | T17 | T16 | T27 |
| U.S. Open | | | T7 | 1 | CUT | T5 | 1 | T49 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | CUT | T5 | T6 | T24 | T11 | T2 | T10 | T29 | T24 |
| PGA Championship | | CUT | CUT | T25 | T3 | T61 | T53 | T21 | CUT |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Masters Tournament | 2 | T6 | T5 | T6 | 2 | 47 | T27 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | T2 | T66 | T24 | T5 | T9 | T15 | T26 | T51 | T14 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | T2 | T3 | 1 | T18 | 2 | T34 | 3 | T4 | T7 | T8 |
| PGA Championship | T34 | T13 | T34 | T5 | T4 | | T16 | 3 | T31 | T6 |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Masters Tournament | T18 | T47 | | T13 | CUT | T22 | CUT | 53 | |
| U.S. Open | 3 | CUT | 9 | T4 | T35 | T54 | CUT | T55 | CUT |
| The Open Championship | CUT | CUT | 1 | T26 | CUT | T65 | CUT | 61 | CUT |
| PGA Championship | T18 | CUT | T48 | CUT | T7 | T25 | T66 | CUT | |
| Tournament | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Masters Tournament | | | | | | |
| PGA Championship | | | | | | |
| U.S. Open | CUT | | | | | |
| The Open Championship | T32 | NT | CUT | CUT | CUT | WD |
CUT = missed the half-way cut T = tied WD = withdrew NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

### Summary

| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 17 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 25 | 19 |
| U.S. Open | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 27 | 20 |
| The Open Championship | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 33 | 23 |
| Totals | 4 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 35 | 54 | 108 | 79 |
* Most consecutive cuts made – 27 (2000 Masters – 2006 PGA)
* Longest streak of top-10s – 5 (2003 PGA – 2004 PGA)

## Results in The Players Championship

| Tournament | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
| The Players Championship | CUT | T45 | T68 | T8 | T10 | T11 | T17 |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| The Players Championship | T20 | CUT | T44 | | T26 | T17 | T8 | T37 | T6 | T45 |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| The Players Championship | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | T72 | T66 | T64 | CUT |
CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place

## World Golf Championships
### Wins (2)

| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
| 2004 | WGC-American Express Championship | 2 shot lead | −18 (69-64-68-69=270) | 1 stroke | Thomas Bjørn |
| 2010 | WGC-CA Championship (2) | Tied for lead | −18 (68-66-70-66=270) | 4 strokes | Charl Schwartzel |

### Results timeline

| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| Match Play | R64 | R32 | 4 | R32 | R64 | | R64 | R64 | R64 | QF | R32 | R32 | R32 | R64 | 4 |
| Championship | T40 | WD | NT$^1$ | T23 | T12 | 1 | 5 | T11 | 75 | T20 | 1 | T15 | | T28 | T52 |
| Invitational | 5 | T12 | T8 | T15 | T17 | T65 | T31 | T22 | T27 | T29 | T22 | T37 | T45 | T48 | T26 |
| Champions | | | | | | | | | | 2 | T6 | T33 | T2 | T11 | T46 |
$^1$Cancelled due to 9/11
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play "T" = tied WD = withdrew NT = No tournament Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

## Senior major championships
### Wins (1)

| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner-up |
| 2024 | Kaulig Companies Championship | 1 shot deficit | −10 (70-68-64-68=270 | 1 stroke | Yang Yong-eun |

### Results timeline

| Tournament | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| The Tradition | NT | T4 | T3 | T2 | T3 |
| Senior PGA Championship | NT | T16 | T14 | T37 | T6 |
| U.S. Senior Open | NT | T17 | T13 | T12 | T8 |
| Senior Players Championship | T5 | 5 | T3 | T3 | 1 |
| Senior British Open Championship | NT | T8 | T3 | | |
"T" indicates a tie for a place NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

## PGA and European Tour career summary

| | PGA Tour | PGA Tour | PGA Tour | European Tour | European Tour | European Tour |
| Season | Wins (Majors) | Earnings (US$) | Rank | Wins (Majors) | Earnings | Rank |
| 1991 | 0 | 2,647 | 274 | 0 | £2,357 | – |
| 1992 | 0 | 18,420 | 213 | 0 | £66,626 | 75 |
| 1993 | 0 | 38,185 | 190 | 0 | £162,827 | 34 |
| 1994 | 1 (1) | 684,440 | 19 | 2 (1) | £311,850 | 10 |
| 1995 | 1 | 842,590 | 14 | 1 | £82,459 | – |
| 1996 | 1 | 906,944 | 14 | 0 | £209,148 | – |
| 1997 | 2 (1) | 1,243,008 | 9 | 2 (1) | £359,421 | – |
| 1998 | 1 | 763,783 | 36 | 1 | £433,884 | 8 |
| 1999 | 1 | 1,710,756 | 15 | 1 | €588,360 | 12 |
| 2000 | 1 | 3,469,405 | 3 | 1 | €2,017,248 | 3 |
| 2001 | 0 | 2,336,456 | 15 | 0 | €1,716,287 | 4 |
| 2002 | 2 (1) | 3,291,895 | 5 | 3 (1) | €2,251,708 | 3 |
| 2003 | 2 | 3,371,237 | 9 | 4 | €2,975,374 | 1 |
| 2004 | 3 | 5,787,225 | 2 | 3 | €4,061,905 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 | 1,627,184 | 47 | 3 | €1,012,683 | 18 |
| 2006 | 0 | 2,326,220 | 28 | 1 | €1,716,208 | 5 |
| 2007 | 0 | 2,705,715 | 20 | 2 | €2,496,237 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 | 2,537,290 | 20 | 0 | €674,098 | 42 |
| 2009 | 0 | 2,147,157 | 36 | 0 | €1,571,501 | 11 |
| 2010 | 2 | 4,558,861 | 3 | 1 | €2,261,607 | 7 |
| 2011 | 0 | 948,872 | 93 | 1 | €591,508 | 51 |
| 2012 | 1 (1) | 3,453,118 | 16 | 1 (1) | €2,077,533 | – |
| 2013 | 0 | 1,173,761 | 74 | 1 | €1,166,712 | 20 |
| 2014 | 0 | 1,799,569 | 55 | 1 | €986,230 | 37 |
| 2015 | 0 | 453,579 | 159 | 0 | €340,254 | – |
| 2016 | 0 | 559,024 | 148 | 0 | €87,956 | 167 |
| 2017 | 0 | 155,926 | 207 | 0 | €137,697 | 157 |
| 2018 | 0 | 102,868 | 208 | 0 | €84,792 | 184 |
| 2019 | 0 | 304,590 | 186 | 0 | €199,789 | 146 |
| 2020 | 0 | 18,673 | 239 | 0 | €12,069 | 268 |
| Career* | 19 (4) | 49,339,400 | 11 | 28 (4) | €28,894,967 | 5 |
* As of 27 September 2020.
These figures are from the respective tour's official sites. Note that there is double counting of money earned (and wins) in the majors and World Golf Championships since they became official events on both tours.

## Team appearances

Professional
* Alfred Dunhill Cup (representing South Africa): 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 (winners), 1998 (winners), 1999, 2000
* World Cup (representing South Africa): 1992, 1993, 1996 (Individual and team winners), 1997, 2001 (winners)
* Presidents Cup (International team): 1996, 1998 (winners), 2000, 2003 (tie), 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2019 (non-playing captain)
* Alfred Dunhill Challenge (representing Southern Africa): 1995 (winners)