Ernie Els: Rory McIlroy has plenty time to win Masters

Ernie Els believes he has holed his last putt at Augusta National but last night he backed Rory McIlroy to do what he failed to and win the Masters.

Els shot a six-over-par 78 to complete his 23rd Masters, his final year the five-year exemption he earned as 2012 Open champion. That was his fourth major victory but though as a young man, like McIlroy, his future seemed to have a number of green jackets in it, the Masters always eluded the South African.

Now 47, and ranked 410th in the world last week, Els is not expecting the sort of return to form which will see him qualify by right for the opening major of every season. Yet while he was last night resigned to his fate, he believes McIlroy has plenty of time on his side and is better equipped than he ever was to win a Masters.