Els Dumps Leadbetter

Steve Elling reports on the latest sign of desperation intense desire to improve from Ernie Els...

The third-ranked player in the world told CBSSports.com on Monday night that he has joined forces with Butch Harmon, who can now boast three of the top eight players in the world rankings as members of his stable. Els had been a client of David Leadbetter for two decades.

"We have been friends for 20 years and will always be friends," Els said of Leadbetter. "I'm giving him a ticket here for this week. This is purely a professional thing."

Uh, Lead couldn't have got in otherwise? What, he's not paying his PGA of America dues?

And..

Yet the coaching change came as a surprise, given how long he and Leadbetter have been allies, not to mention former neighbors at an upscale Orlando, Fla., club. Els began working with Harmon three weeks ago on the range in Miami and has been sending the Las Vegas-based swing guru video via computer for the past couple of weeks.

"The wonders of technology," Els said.

Comments

[Tuna]

Wonder what the Hawk would have thought of all this coaching business?

I suspect Els is done as a winner of majors.

He had the bad luck of spending much of his prime in the era of Tiger, plus he just isn't a great finisher.

Too bad, I was really pulling for him to close the deal at Carnoustie last year for what would have been a hallmark victory.

[Passov]

Ernie's a great champion, even if he got a gift at his first US Open, and Harmon seems to have a way of helping people find a spark. Let's not write off the Big Easy just yet.

[Chuck]

That's what Sonny Corleone said to consigliere Tom Hagen, right? "This is purely a professional thing." Or something like that.

[Steve Wozeniak PGA]

Ben Hogan had a Coach beginning in 1945 for twenty years named Sam Byrd. You just did not see him following Hogan around like a baby duck as you do with many of these other guys. I love Woody Austin's comment about the COACHES out there he asked how old these players are? Figure it out and play!!!
As far as Lead Poisoning as he is known on Tour, If you have more then one in rare cases two books out about the golf swing YOU ARE CONFUSED!! www.stevewozeniak.com

[Bob G]

is it me or is Leadbetter a net loser of tour players over the past few years?

[kudzu]

Chuck, "una cosa [thing] di bus-i-ness."
About Ernie, well, nice guys... you know.

[Avid Golfer]

Butch Harmon has helped improve the swings of Greg Norman, Davis Love, Fred Couples, Justin Leonard, and Phil Mickelson. I believe Harmon can help Els sharpen his swing. Els said that he has been working with Harmon to tighten up and shorten up his swing.

I think it is a good switch as it seems Leadbetter is constantly drifting in his swing theories. Some of Leadbetter's best instructional work came in the late 80's and early 90's when he was working with Nick Price and Nick Faldo. In the late 90's his swing concepts and drills seemed to start to deteriorate and make less sense.

I wish Els luck, and I'm interested to see how Els swing visually changes as he works with Harmon.