Is Ernie a choke artist?

[g-funk13]

I gotta just throw this in there: Els shot 72,68, 69, 66 in last year's PGA at Southern Hills. So he was amazing just a short time ago, and I think he will find his groove soon. I wonder if the pressure of knowing that Major tournaments are running out for him is messing with his head?

[BASHERBAKER69]

Ernie is not a choke artist..he's achieved more than most in his career bar TW.

BB

[DougM]

I love this question... truth is Tiger is turning all the rest into ' chokers'... he seems to bring out the worst in his competition coming down the stretch.. yes I know that there are 1 or 2 instances where another player did not fold but these are few and far between..

Ernie has had two bad finishes lately and has a history of ' head issues' so I am going to have leave it as .. Ernie is closing with his 'B' game....
he is too classy of a guy to deserve ' choker'..

[SubPar]

Like Ernie said in a recent interview, the pressure is different when you are up against Tiger on Sunday. He makes you feel you have to play perfectly in order to beat him and even the best have a hard time with that.

SubPar

[themasteroncbs]

Like Ernie said in a recent interview, the pressure is different when you are up against Tiger on Sunday. He makes you feel you have to play perfectly in order to beat him and even the best have a hard time with that.

Ernie has more pertinent issues to worry about besides Tiger. If he is going to get it back, and start really contending in majors again he's going to need to get his act together pretty soon. The longer he keeps underachieving and gagging away tournaments the less likely it is that he'll ever get back to the level at which he once was.

[Elsfan]

Ernie has more pertinent issues to worry about besides Tiger. If he is going to get it back, and start really contending in majors again he's going to need to get his act together pretty soon. The longer he keeps underachieving and gagging away tournaments the less likely it is that he'll ever get back to the level at which he once was.

Are you serious? If he isn't contending in the majors then who is. He could have easily won the British and the PGA last year. He contends every year in the British.

[RichF]

Like Ernie said in a recent interview, the pressure is different when you are up against Tiger on Sunday. He makes you feel you have to play perfectly in order to beat him and even the best have a hard time with that.

But what of all the other tournaments that he plays in where Woods isn't?

SA Airways Open Dubai Masters India Masters All horror stories for Els.

[Eore]

But what of all the other tournaments that he plays in where Woods isn't?

i was just going to say that

[hawkeye]

Going to be an interesting night at the Honda (well it's alwaya nighttime here for the PGA Tour!)

Ernie is 3 under thru 5, one off the lead.

The Bear Trap awaits - I hope he either (1) isn't in contention or (2) wins it.

[elchene]

and Ernie wins the Honda!

[Elsfan]

Congrats Ernie. Keep it rolling.

[TourSpoon]

Els pulls it out at the Honda. The conditions were brutal all week and he held solid.

[walk18]

Today, big Ernie blew a four stroke lead over Tiger in Dubai to lose the tournament. He also blew that tournament in South Africa in December by making a triple on the final hole. Not to mention his other recent failures to a get a W. I think the question should be posed, is Ernie a choke artist?

not any more..

[themasteroncbs]

Are you serious? If he isn't contending in the majors then who is. He could have easily won the British and the PGA last year. He contends every year in the British.

I should reitirate, REALLY contending in majors, like giving himself a chance at actually WINNING not a chance at winning 3rd place every time. Winning the Honda today is certainly a step in the right direction though. I would like to see Ernie fill out an awesome big three with Tiger and Phil.

[RX Phoenix]

The Big Easy is BACK

[RichF]

I'm glad for Els as he's one of my favourite players and he is a rarity in that he really is one of the few Top10 players who plays everywhere in the world.

Hope he can win another tournament before the Masters starts in a month cos that really will put him in a right frame of mind.

[the_saint_siwa]

Being an Ernie Els fan, I don't think he's a choke artist. However we are humans, in a pressure situation and how the stars align for you, you'll never know. Sometimes a miss is a miss. Maybe because we misread the green, or maybe there is tiny rock on the green, or we choke, or . . . .

The list goes on and on but I believe the only person that can answer "the choke" q is ourselves.

Congrats to Ernie for winning 2008 Honda Classic.

[DougM]

I guess with the results of the Honda we can cut Ernie some slack on the ' choker' thing... I know no Tiger.. but you can only beat whoever shows up so he gets a pat on the back...