Els On Going It Alone, Giving Up Drinking

Good read from Doug Ferguson on Ernie Els after winning the Open and some of the sacrifices/changes he made leading up to the victory that might have made a difference, starting with going solo during Open week.

His family stayed in Skibo Castle during the Scottish Open, and then Els sent them home. He knew deep down he was getting close, especially after his tie for ninth in the U.S. Open. He wanted to treat the British Open like a work week, as it was when he was just starting his career. He went to the golf course and worked. He went to the hotel to sleep. It was all business.

''Tony Jacklin stayed in that hotel when he won in 1969 - I was born in 1969,'' Els said, grinning at the coincidence.

And this about giving up drinking.

One night at dinner about a month before the Open, he decided to stop drinking. Els doesn't remember the night, and when pressed for the motive behind it, he waved his hand and said, ''Accch,'' a guttural sound in Afrikaans to suggest it was no big deal or not worth discussing.

''I just didn't feel like anymore,'' he said. ''I'm probably going to give it another three months now. I feel really into what I'm doing.''

Comments

[fred jones]

Nice & freshing to hear such honesty. I had heard 10 years ago that Ernie could keep up with John Daly when it came to drinking booze.

[David]

I saw him drinking beer a week after the open.
It didn't last long.

[Stanley Thompson]

So! What's wrong with having a beer?

[DTF]

I get the feeling the no drinking thing is for when he's on the road playing tournament golf. Clearly the pictures of the celebration immediately after the Open showed that an exception was granted -- as well it should have been!!

[ol Harv]

I mentioned this on a different thread. Ernie changed agents a while back and is with Vinny Giles now, who coincidentally stopped drinking a few years back after an intervention from some friends. Vinny has remained dry and credits it with him winning the US Senior Am in 2010. I think he probably had an influence on Ernie.

[Stord]

I hope he now gives away his winery!

[BrianS]

My guess (and just a guess) is that by "drinking" he means partying, or having beers with the guys or whatever. Doubt he's going cold turkey 24/7, but who knows.

[V. Lind]

Maybe Liezl told him he might get better results with a clearer head. :)

[Jim Beckner]

He wins the Open and then has a beer? What's wrong with that? O'Doul's on the house!!!

jb

[johnnnycz]

He knows how to tip em over and over and over and probably thought it's time to stop "partying" like BrianS eloquently mentioned above. Good to hear he's decided to moderate/monitor the booze intake.

I have heard from people who have personally been with Ernie for a day and a half when he's not playing, just doing promotions and clinics and they all swear on a stack of bibles he polished off 24 smallish cans of Pilsner in the time they were with him and he didn't appear hammered and then he asked to stop at a gas station on the way to the airport to pick up another 24 pack for the private jet....czech beer can do that to some folks ;-))