Ernie Els is relishing the chance to take up his dream job as the captain of the Internationals side at the 2019 Presidents Cup.
Els was recently paired against long-time rival Tiger Woods for the biennial showdown in Australia.
‘For me to now be able to lead the international team into competition is a great honour and very exciting, like a dream job really,’ Els wrote in his blog.
‘Royal Melbourne is an unbelievable venue in a great sporting city. I’m really looking forward to it.
‘We know it’s going to be a tough job against a formidable US captain and what’s bound to be a strong US team. But we’ve won at Royal Melbourne before and we’re going to give it absolutely everything we’ve got.’
The Presidents Cup captaincy was quickly followed by the USGA offering the four-time Major champion a spot in the 2018 US Open field.
Els admits that the chance to play in his 26th US Open is exciting as he prepares to write yet another chapter in his storied career.
‘In other news, we were told at the beginning of this month that I’d be receiving a special exemption into this year’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills.
‘It’ll be my 26th straight US Open and I’m grateful to the guys at the USGA for this opportunity. The US Open is kind of where it all started, you might say. Winning at Oakmont at the age of 24, as I’ve said before it was almost like a shock the way it happened. I still thought I had some steps to climb to get there.
‘Then ’97 was just a very, very special week, winning in the nation’s capital, and that set me up for a really great year. For me there are so many wonderful memories from US Opens and, as I said, it’s exciting to be able to keep that story going.
‘And Shinnecock…honestly, that is right up there among my top 2 or 3 courses in the US. It’s a magnificent layout, a beautiful, natural golf course. It’s got kind of a links-style feel about it and it tests every department of your game, perfect for the US Open. When you think of Shinnecock, you think of one great hole after another. Can’t wait!’
Els is next in action at the Houston Open next week.
Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
