South African Ernie Els brilliantly strode from three shots behind with five holes to play to capture the 28th PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Port Royal Golf Course, Bermuda.
Els, winner of three Major Championships and also this title in 1997, defied winds gusting to 35 mph to fire a second round 69 on the oceanside 6845 yards course for a winning five under par 36-hole total of 137 – one ahead of American David Toms (71). Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (73) and Germany’s Martin Kaymer (71), winners of the US Open and US PGA Championship respectively in 2010, tied third on 145.
Toms chipped in twice – once for a birdie at 12 and then for a par at 14 – but Els refused to be distracted as he produced a stunning sequence of figures despite the buffeting winds.
“When David chipped in at 12 I thought OK, but when a guy does it twice in three holes then you think he’s destined to win,” Els said. “But I found something myself on that back nine. I’ve been trying to get more comfortable over my putts, and I found something in my putting stroke. The speed came back and I made some very good putts.
“This was a round I really had to work for. It was tough out there; very tough. The course was in great condition – the greens were terrific – but when the wind blows like it did today then it makes it a great challenge.”
Els, who replaced Masters Champion Phil Mickelson, had four birdies in six holes from the 11th – including three in succession from the 14th – on the way to belatedly celebrating his 41st birthday last Sunday by collecting the US $ 600,000 first prize.
Toms, a late replacement for Louis Oosthuizen, the Open champion, started out one ahead of Els, who three putted the first, and he appeared to be in control when he followed one chip in with another at the 14th – even though Els holed from 14 feet for birdie at that hole.
Els, however, gained a two shot swing at the 15th – hitting a brilliant sand wedge to three feet for birdie as Toms found a greenside bunker for bogey – and then magnificently rolled in a 35 foot putt for a two at the spectacular 16th signature hole to edge one ahead.
Els drove into a bunker at the long 17th but salvaged par – holing downhill from 14 feet – then applied the pressure with a prodigious drive at the 18th where Toms drove into a fairway bunker.
McDowell, who notched three birdies in his first five holes but took seven at the par-five seventh, said: “I was very happy with the way I played but two sevens – one yesterday and another today – certainly didn’t help.”
Kaymer finished well with two of his four birdies coming in the last four holes and said: “My goal in the end was to catch Graeme – and finish tied third. I felt very special to be part of this tournament; it made me very proud to be here.”
