It was no consolation to Ernie Els – or to the fan who stood to win £500,000 (€752,488) - that the South African is now the only player in Open history to complete two championships without a round higher than 69.

Not many birdies result in a putter being tossed angrily away, but that is what Ernie Els did in the Dubai Desert Classic today.

Ernie Els could not believe how he managed to claim his third consecutive Heineken Classic victory after an astonishing collapse at Royal Melbourne.

Ernie Els dropped six shots in nine holes at the Heineken Classic to throw away his eight-shot overnight lead in astonishing fashion.

Ernie Els extended his commanding lead at the Heineken Classic to eight shots as he continued his stride towards a third consecutive title at Royal Melbourne.

TREVOR IMMELMAN made use of immense local knowledge to capture his second consecutive South African Airways Open title at the Erinvale Course yesterday.

Kenny Perry made light work of the Gary Player-designed Sun City course to charge to the top of the leaderboard at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

A BIRDIE-BIRDIE finish allowed Darren Clarke to retain the lead in the PGA Championship at Wentworth yesterday.

ERNIE ELS is out of this week’s Players Championship in Florida, thus robbing the event of both the world number two and number three.

HE may not have won last week’s Dubai Desert Classic but Ernie Els showed why players and administrators alike are running scared of him when he reached a 351-yard hole with one blow in his final round.

ERNIE ELS feels fit and ready to continue his magical start to the season, despite a schedule that he admits looks “crazy.”

TIGER WOODS finally gave the answer to the question he has been asked all week last night – and the answer was that he will not be playing in the Dubai Desert Classic starting on Thursday.

ERNIE ELS, taking a well-earned rest this week, could lose top spot on the US Tour while he puts his feet up.

WORLD number three Ernie Els admitted his decision to stop chasing world number one Tiger Woods had played a major part in his success in 2002.

ERNIE ELS survived a sudden attack of the jitters to win his fourth Cisco World Match Play title at Wentworth.

Ernie Els withdrew from the Dunhill Links Championship before his final round after his wife Liezl went into labour.