Els to be honoured for charity work

Ernie Els is to receive an award from the American golf writers next month for his charity work.

The former world number one has his own foundation in South Africa and with his wife Liezl is trying to raise €22m to set up a centre for autism in Florida after their seven-year-old son Ben was diagnosed in 2006.

The centre will be the first of its kind, combining cutting-edge education, therapy and research for children all over the world.

Els, who will be honoured at the writers’ annual awards dinner in Augusta on April 7, has said: “The mark of a true man is not what he takes in life, but what he gives back.”

In a current public service announcement he notes that the odds of winning the US Open twice, which he did, are one in 1.2 billion. The odds of being diagnosed with autism are one in 110.