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 Ernie Els stuck to his game plan of using a trusty Texas wedge and was rewarded when he holed a 43-footer to win the Sony Open
By John Elliott Jr.
On Sunday Ernie Els showed again why patience and smart play are the traits of a champion. Els had a frustrating back nine, leaving six birdie putts dead on line but less than six inches short of the hole. However, he remained composed heading into the playoff with Aaron Baddeley.
On the first hole of sudden death, the par-5 18th, Els used his putter from the front fringe when he was 60 feet from the flag. He knew the Texas wedge was the smart play. You won't sink as many shots from the fringe with a putter as you will with an iron, but your misses will be better. Els cozied his ball to four feet and matched Baddeley's birdie. On the next hole, the 353-yard 10th, Els pulled his drive way left of the green and flew the ensuing 40-yard pitch over the putting surface and onto the fringe. He then faced a twisty 43-foot shot that looked as if it had to be drained if he was to stay alive, because Baddeley had a 20-foot uphill putt for 3. But Els stuck to his game plan and again drew the putter. This time his ball rolled straight in, and when Baddeley missed, Els was the winner for the second week in a row. He later admitted that he was fortunate, saying, "I could putt 100 balls [from there] and wouldn't make one again." John Elliott Jr., 56, is an instructor at Cog Hill Golf Club in Lemont, Ill., and one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers. Issue date: January 27, 2003
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Courtesy of ESPN
