Putting woes come back to haunt Ernie Els at BMW SA Open

South Africa’s Jaco van Zyl claimed the clubhouse lead in the BMW SA Open as tournament host Ernie Els suffered another attack of the dreaded yips at Glendower.

Els had been three over par with three holes to play before reviving his chances of a sixth victory in the event with a birdie on the seventh and an eagle on the par-five eighth.

However, the four-time major winner then three-putted the ninth, his final hole, to card a one-over-par 73, the 46-year-old’s par putt from 18 inches not even touching the hole.