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He first achieved prominence in 1984, when he won the Junior World Championship in the "Boys 13-14" category. (The Boys 9-10 category that year was won by Tiger Woods.)
Els turned professional at the end of 1991, winning several events on the Southern Africa Tour in his first full season as a pro.
Among his numerous victories since are three Majors. He won the US Open in 1994 and in 1997, and topped it with the British Open in 2002.
Other highlights in Ernie's career include topping the 2003 and 2004 PGA European Tour Order of Merit (money list) and winning the World Matchplay Championship a record six times. He has led the official world golf rankings and is consistently ranked in the top five.
In 2004 he was voted 37th in the Top 100 Great South Africans ( see List of South Africans).
Unlike most of his contemporaries, Els is known for his willingness to participate in tournaments all around the world. He says his travel schedule is in recognition of the global nature of golf, but it has caused some friction with the PGA TOUR, who would prefer him to play more tournaments in the USA.
When not playing, Els has a golf course design business, a charitable foundation which supports golf among underprivileged youngsters in South Africa, and a highly-regarded wine-making business.
1994 U.S. Open Championship
1995 GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic
1996 Buick Classic
1997 U.S. Open Championship, Buick Classic
1998 Bay Hill Invitational
1999 Nissan Open
2000 The International
2002 Genuity Championship, 131st Open Championship
2003 Mercedes Championships, Sony Open in Hawaii
2004 Sony Open in Hawaii, Memorial Tournament, World Golf Championships - American Express Championship.
1994 Dubai Desert Classic, Toyota World Matchplay Championship
1995 Lexington South African PGA, Toyota World Matchplay Championship
1996 Toyota World Matchplay Championship
1997 Johnnie Walker Classic
1998 South African Open
1999 Alfred Dunhill South African PGA
2000 Standard Life Loch Lomond
2002 Heineken Classic, Dubai Desert Classic, 131st Open Championship
2003 Heineken Classic, Johnnie Walker Classic, The Barclays Scottish Open, Omega European Masters, HSBC World Matchplay Championship.
2004 Heineken Classic
2004 HSBC World Matchplay Championship
1989 South African Amateur Stroke Play Championship
1991 Amatola Sun Classic
1992 Protea Assurance SA Open, Lexington SA PGA Championship, SA Masters, Hollard Royal Swazi Sun Classic, First National Bank Players Championship, Goodyear Classic.
1993 Dunlop Phoenix
1995 Bells Cup
1996 Philips SA Open
1997 PGA Grand Slam of Golf
1999 Nedbank Million Dollar Challenge
2000 Nedbank Golf Challenge
2001 Vodacom Players Championship
2002 Nedbank Golf Challenge
Alfred Dunhill Cup
1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 (winners), 1998 (winners), 1999, 2000
World Cup
1992, 1993, 1996 (Individual and team winners), 1997, 2001 (winners)
Presidents Cup
1996, 1998 (Winners), 2000, 2003 (Draw)