Ava Romero
Ernie Els is a South African golfer who has been described as one of the Big Five golfers of his generation, alongside Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, and Phil Mickelson. Els has won 75 tournaments worldwide, including four major titles, and spent 758 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking. Standing at a height of 6 feet 3 inches, Els is known for his powerful build and fluid swing, which have made him one of the most recognizable figures in golf.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ernie Els |
| Known As | "Big Five" |
| Profession | Golfer |
| Residence | Wentworth Estate near Wentworth Golf Club, South of England |
| Other Residences | South Florida |
| Awards | PGA Tour Rookie of the Year 1994, European Golfer of the Year in 1994, 2002 and 2003, European Order of Merit in 2003 and 2004 |
| Foundation | Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation |
| Charity | Els for Autism Pro-Am |
| Children | 2, Samantha and Ben |
| Wins | 75 times worldwide, including 28 DP World Tour titles, 19 PGA Tour titles, 15 Sunshine Tour trophies, and 3 PGA Tour Champions |
| Consecutive Weeks in Top 10 Rankings | 758 |
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What You'll Learn
Ernie Els' height
Ernie Els is a South African golfer who stands at 6 feet 3 inches tall. His height, combined with his physique and fluid golf swings, earned him the nickname "The Big Easy". Els is one of the most successful golfers worldwide, with over 70 career tournament wins, including four major championships. He has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and is known for his powerful drives and calm demeanour on and off the course.
Els turned professional in 1989 and soon rose to prominence in the golf world. He won the World Junior Golf Championship in San Diego, California, at just 14 years old. As a professional, he has won numerous titles, including the US Open in 1994 and 1997, and The Open Championship in 2002 and 2012. He was also the European Golfer of the Year in 1994, 2002, and 2003.
In addition to his golfing achievements, Els is also known for his philanthropic work, particularly in the field of autism awareness and support. He and his wife, Liezl, founded The Els for Autism Foundation in 2009, which led to the creation of The Els Center of Excellence, providing leading-edge programs and services for individuals with autism. They also established the Els for Autism Pro-Am, an annual charity golf event, and the Ernie Els Foundation in South Africa, which offers educational assistance and golfing opportunities to underprivileged youth.
Els has successfully diversified his career beyond golf, including golf course design and hospitality ventures. He has designed award-winning golf courses worldwide and is involved in businesses such as Ernie Els Wines, creating an award-winning wine portfolio in South Africa. His other ventures include pet products, biltong, and a student-athlete recruitment program.
Standing tall at 6 feet 3 inches, Ernie Els is not just a golfing legend but also a dedicated philanthropist and successful entrepreneur, leaving a lasting impact both on and off the golf course.
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Ernie Els' golf career
Ernie Els is a former World Number One golfer with 80 professional victories to his name, including four Major Championships, one Senior Major, two World Golf Championships, and a record seven World Matchplay titles. Els is also the founder of The Ernie Els Foundation, a charity that provides educational assistance and golfing opportunities to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Els started playing golf at age nine and soon became an accomplished junior tennis player, winning the Eastern Transvall Junior Championships aged 13. He turned his full attention to golf at 14, although he also played cricket, soccer, and rugby. Els has been heavily involved in junior golf in South Africa and has hosted the Ernie Els Invitational to raise money for the Cancer Society of South Africa.
In 1999, Els formed the Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation to identify and assist young individuals from families of limited resources who show golfing promise. That same year, he also established The Ernie Els Foundation, which provides educational assistance and golfing opportunities to young individuals from disadvantaged families.
Els has had a highly successful golfing career, with over 70 victories worldwide, including 28 European Tour titles. He has spent a record 758 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking and was European Number One in 2003 and 2004. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
Some of Els' notable wins include the 2005 Qatar Masters, which made him the second golfer to win on all six of the big tours on the International Federation of PGA Tours. He also won the World Golf Championships-CA Championship, ending a two-year victory drought, the longest of his career. Els won his seventh PGA Tour Champions event at the season-opening 2025 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. In 2024, he won three times on the PGA Tour Champions, including his first major title at the Kaulig Companies Championship.
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Ernie Els' family life
Ernie Els was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Neels and Hettie Els. He has a brother named Dirk Els. In 1998, Ernie married Liezl Wehmeyer in Cape Town, and the couple has two children: daughter Samantha Leigh Els and son Ben Neels Els. The family's primary residence is at the Wentworth Estate in the south of England, near Wentworth Golf Club. However, they also split their time between South Africa and their family home in Jupiter, Florida, to receive better treatment for Ben's autism.
Ernie Els has been open about his son's autism diagnosis, leveraging his platform to raise awareness and support for autism-related causes. In 2008, Ernie began displaying an "Autism Speaks" logo on his golf bag, and in 2009, he and his wife Liezl established the Els for Autism Foundation, a US public charity, to help individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. The foundation has raised over $50 million to create a world of limitless possibilities for those with ASD.
The Els family's journey with autism began when Ben was born in 2002, and they noticed that he checked every box for autism. At three and a half years old, Ben was officially diagnosed with ASD. They were living in England at the time and initially enrolled him in the same school as his sister, Samantha. However, Ben struggled in that school environment and found it difficult to communicate. Recognizing this, Ernie and Liezl decided to focus on finding what made Ben happy, which led them to a school in Florida. They found a home in Palm Beach and enrolled Ben in the new school, where he thrived as he was surrounded by friends and felt comfortable.
Ernie Els' daughter, Samantha, is a sophomore at Stanford University, playing club rugby and pursuing her aspirations to make a positive impact on the world. Their son, Ben, is 17 years old and attends the Els Center for Excellence, a public charter school in South Florida that the family started with the help of friends. Ernie Els' family life has been deeply intertwined with his advocacy for autism awareness and support, leaving a lasting impact beyond the golf course.
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Ernie Els' charity work
Ernie Els is a South African professional golfer. He has won 79 professional events, including 19 on the PGA Tour and 28 on the European Tour. He is also known for his charitable endeavours, including his work with the Cancer Society of South Africa and his foundation for underprivileged children.
In 1999, Els established the Ernie Els and Fancourt Foundation (also known as The Ernie Els Foundation) to promote golf among underprivileged South African youngsters. The foundation provides educational assistance and golfing opportunities to young individuals, mainly from families with limited resources.
In 2009, Els and his wife, Liezl, founded the Els for Autism Foundation, inspired by their son, Ben, who is autistic. The foundation's mission is to transform the lives of people with autism and their caregivers through lifetime services and collaborative partnerships. The Els Center of Excellence, based in Jupiter, Florida, is a world-class site offering leading-edge programs and services for individuals with autism. Els for Autism has been a registered Canadian charity since 2013 and has raised millions of dollars through golf challenge events to support autism programs and provide grants.
Els has also co-founded ASM Scholarships, a college recruitment agency assisting athletes worldwide in obtaining scholarships to participate in American college tournaments. In addition, he hosts the Ernie Els Invitational in South Africa, with proceeds going to various charities.
Beyond his charitable work, Els has diverse business interests, including Ernie Els Wines, which he started in 1999, and Ernie Els Design, his golf course design business. He has also branched out into Champion Pet Products and Ernie Els Biltong, a company selling South African dried, cured meat.
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Ernie Els' ranking
Ernie Els is a South African professional golfer. He is a former World Number One and has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Els is one of six golfers to have won both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship twice. He has won over 70 tournaments worldwide, including 28 European Tour titles.
Els spent a record 758 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking, and was European Number One in 2003 and 2004. He was the first member of the European Tour to earn over €25,000,000 from European Tour events. In 2004, Els was part of the "Big Five" era, where he, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, and Phil Mickelson dominated the game. The five golfers switched up and down the top five positions in the world rankings.
Els has won at least one PGA Tour event every year from 1994 to 2004, except in 2001. He has earned $49.3 million on the PGA Tour since joining in 1994. In 2019, Els became the first player to record 300 career Top-10 finishes since the inception of the Official Golf World Ranking in 1986. He holds the record for the most consecutive cuts on the European Tour, with 82 from the 2000 Johnnie Walker Classic to the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic.
Els has won several awards for his golf course designs and his charitable work for autism. He has also represented South Africa in professional team golf on 22 occasions.
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Frequently asked questions
Ernie Els is a tall South African golfer. However, I cannot find his exact height.
Ernie Els is one of the best golfers in the world. He has won 75 times worldwide, including 28 DP World Tour titles, 19 PGA Tour titles, 15 Sunshine Tour trophies, and 3 PGA Tour Champions. He was the former World Number One golfer and spent 758 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Els is still playing golf and winning tournaments. In March 2023, he won the Hoag Classic in Newport Beach, California. He also still resides at the Wentworth Estate near Wentworth Golf Club in southern England.
