Els, Ernie (1969-…), a South African professional golfer, has won four major professional golf championships. Els won the United States Open Championship in 1994 and 1997 and the British Open title in 2002 and 2012. The other two major championships are the Masters and the United States PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) tournament. In 1992, Els joined Gary Player as the only golfer to win the South African Open, the South African PGA Championship, and the South African Masters Tournament in the same year. Els also won three consecutive World Match Play Championships in 1994, 1995, and 1996. In 2000, Els became the first player to finish second in three consecutive major tournaments in the same year when he finished second in the United States Open, the Masters, and the British Open.
Theodore Ernest Els was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Oct. 17, 1969. He began playing golf at the age of 9. He turned professional in 1989 and joined the American professional golf tour in 1994.
