He has won tournaments in Hawaii, Australia, Ohio, Ireland and England. He also has competed in the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Scotland, Switzerland and Korea. Ernie Els gets around, and enjoys doing so.
The PGA Tour would prefer he do his traveling within the borders of the United States, going so far as to send Els a letter saying so.
It's a battle it cannot win.
Not against the No. 2-ranked player in the world who is from South Africa and lives in England. Not against golf's best world traveler since Gary Player.
"I think they need to understand that I think the golfing world has changed through the years," Els, 35, said last week in England, where he won the World Match Play Championship, his fifth worldwide victory of the year. "There's a world outside of America and I'm part of it. Don't start putting a padlock around me, because that's not going to work."
Els has a home in Orlando, but he uses it as a U.S. base when playing in the States. His primary residence is outside of London, where his daughter, Samantha, goes to school. He is never going to commit to playing 20-plus events on the PGA Tour.
The tour can play hardball with him if it chooses, but does so at its own peril. Members are required to play a minimum of 15 events per year, but in order to play a conflicting tournament - such as those Els plays on the PGA European Tour - he must receive a "release." Those who play in 15 events get three releases, but to receive a fourth release, you must play 20. Els needed far more than four releases.
Els, who is playing in next week's Chrysler Championship at the Weston Innisbrook Resort, has played in 15 events on both tours. But six tournaments - the four major championships and two World Golf Championship events - count on both. So he has actually played a total of 24.
Here's where Els has leverage: If the tour forces him to play 20 or more, he could simply give up his PGA Tour membership. He would still get in all the majors and world events, could accept up to seven sponsor exemptions - which he would easily receive - and play fewer tournaments here.
Is the PGA Tour willing to take that gamble?
$10-MILLION MAN?: Vijay Singh can reach that lofty figure in season earnings if he is able to defend his Funai Classic title this weekend at Walt Disney World. If not, there is next week's Chrysler Championship and then the Tour Championship. Singh is just $544,434 short of the milestone. His total this year alone would put him in the top 50 in career PGA Tour earnings. Last year, Singh won $7.57-million to lead the tour.
COMMITMENTS: Defending champion Retief Goosen officially committed to next week's $5-million Chrysler Championship, giving the tournament four of the top five ranked players in the world and six of the top nine: No. 1 Singh, No. 2 Els, No. 4 Phil Mickelson, No. 5 Goosen, No. 7 Mike Weir and No. 9 Stewart Cink. The tournament has 17 of the top 30 money winners. Goosen, who won the U.S. Open in June, held off on his commitment because his wife, Tracy, is expecting. Goosen also plans to play the Tour Championship. Players have until 5 p.m. Friday or within 30 minutes of play at the Funai Championship to commit.
SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS: The tournament is allowed to give spots to four players who normally would not get in the field, and the competition for those spots is fierce. The Chrysler Championship is the last full-field event of the year and the last chance for players to move into the top 125 to secure their playing cards for next year, or the top 150, which assures conditional status.
The tournament gave a spot to Innisbrook's host pro, Jay Overton, who plays on the Champions Tour, along with Australia's Greg Chalmers, Bill Glasson and Olin Browne. Chalmers is 155th on the money list and Glasson, who used to have a home at East Lake Woodlands and won the JCPenney Classic with Pat Bradley in 1989, is 159th. Browne, who finished outside the top 125 last year, still managed to get into 28 tournaments this year and is 120th on the money list. If he secures his spot this week at the Funai Classic, he will give up the Chrysler spot so it can go to someone else.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The Chrysler Championship is looking for volunteers to caddie in Wednesday's pro-am and for standard bearers. ... Tickets are on sale at all area Kash n' Karry stores or by visiting www.chryslerchampionship.com For more information, call 727 942-5566.
Information from other news organizations was used in this report.
