Ernie Els is without a doubt a man of the world. He’s South African by birth, and as an adult he’s also lived in London and in Florida. And he plays golf all over the globe on a regular basis.
On Monday alone, he finished up his final round of the BMW Championship in the Chicago area in the morning, flew to Denver to become the youngest recipient of the Nicholson Award (given for a lifetime of commitment and dedication to the game of golf), then took a red-eye flight back home to Florida. (Els is pictured Monday at Lakewood Country Club with Will Nicholson Jr.)
In Lakewood, Els noted that he loves Colorado so much from his visits to play The International at Castle Pines that he very nearly became a resident of the state — at least part-time.
“I made so many great friends here,” the 43-year-old said. “I was this close to buying a house at Castle Pines about 10 years ago. I used to stay with a heart specialist here in town — he’s an ex-South African — and he had a house on the 11th tee. (My) whole family came every year; we’d come on a Sunday and stay until Tuesday (of the following week).
“I saw his kids grow up and he’s seen my kids grow up. He lives near Cherry Hills here now. I said to Liezl (Els’ wife), ‘You know, next year we’re going to come to Cherry Hills (for the BMW Championship) and maybe I’ll still buy that house.'”
Colorado reminds Els a great deal of his native land — “You can take a picture of this and Johannesburg and it’s absolutely the same; everything is just unbelievable here.” — but his fondness for the state is understandable for another reason.
The International PGA Tour event was held in Colorado for 21 years, from 1986 through 2006, and in many respects Els was the king of Castle Pines. He won the tournament in 2000 and finished in the top 10 a remarkable nine times. He’s also the top money winner in the history of the event (more than $1.8 million) and the top cumulative point scorer (with 371) in the Stableford format.
And it doesn’t hurt that Els, who now has four major championships and 19 PGA Tour titles overall to his credit, has a soft spot in his heart for The International because it gave him an opportunity to compete before just about anyone else on the PGA Tour would.
When The International invited the Big Easy to play in 1991, he had competed in a grand total of one previous PGA Tour event, the 1990 Buick Southern Open.
“I didn’t even have a card — no Tour card, no nothing,” Els remembers. “I was as green as they come.
“That was the great thing about The International — it was truly an international tournament. They invited guys from everywhere around the world. I remember they invited Carlos Franco from Paraguay and the Argentine guys. (The officials from The International) were the first guys with this World Championship mindset, letting international players play.”
All things considered, it’s little wonder why Els ended up competing at The International virtually every year from 1991 until the tournament folded after it was played in 2006. When the event left the schedule for good, Els felt the departure down deep.
“I miss this place like I can’t tell you,” he said. “I have so many memories here. Kaye Kessler, Jack Vickers and the Vickers brothers, they invited me to play in 1991. I was absolutely nowhere. I was playing my first big event and I missed the (54-hole) cut, but the impression Castle Pines left with me — it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I came back every year.
“I was absolutely heartbroken when the tournament got canceled or whatever happened. I remember speaking to Tommy (Vickers) just before they saw (PGA Tour commissioner) Tim Finchem and he was in tears — we were both in tears — that the tournament wasn’t going to make it. To this day, I miss it. It’s been a big loss for the Tour and for the area because obviously it was an unbelievable event.”
In fact, before lousy weather Sunday led to a Monday finish for the BMW Championship, Els said he was planning to arrive in Colorado Sunday evening and spend the night at Castle Pines, then perhaps play some golf there on Monday.
“It’s really one of our favorite places,” he said. “(Unfortunately) it didn’t work out that way, so it’s a short visit.”
One of the people who Els got to know through The International — as well as through his longtime leadership role at the Masters — was Nicholson, the onetime USGA president. This is the eighth year for the Nicholson Award, and Els was a natural to receive it, with all he’s done in golf, as well as for the betterment of society through golf.
Ernie and Liezl have been major fundraisers for autism-related matters since their son Ben, now nearly 11, was diagnosed with the disorder. And Els put his name on the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation, which provides major support to selected disadvantaged South African youngsters who demonstrate talent and potential in golf. Louie Oosthuizen, winner of the 2010 British Open, is the most notable success story of the foundation.
Previous recipients of the Nicholson honor are Nicholson himself, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ben Crenshaw, former USGA president Judy Bell and Hale Irwin.
The last seven who have received the Nicholson Award are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame, including Els, who was inducted two years ago. Els subsequently won the 2012 British Open, making him the first male inductee to go on to win a major since Lee Trevino claimed the 1984 PGA Championship title.
Asked about his relationship with Nicholson, Els said, “We’ve known each other for most of my career. Will is one of the pioneers in our game through the USGA, really leading the game into the direction it should be going — the right direction. The fundamentals — he’s a stickler to that. He’s basically showing the young (administrators) the way. I’ve always admired Will with his work at Augusta, with the Colorado Golf Association and the USGA.”
Though Els hasn’t visited Colorado much since The International departed, he’s looking forward to playing in the state next September when Cherry Hills hosts the BMW Championship, the third stop in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Els hasn’t ever competed at Cherry Hills, but he’s no stranger there either.
“What a place,” he said. “I played it a couple of times back in the day when we used to come out here for the International. My great friend Tommy Vickers (and I) used to play a lot of golf around here and Cherry Hills was probably my favorite.”
