Sky Sports.com - Masters 2008

3 MAJOR (US Open 1994, 1997, Open Championship 2002)
22 European Tour wins
38 International wins

Masters Form Guide

08	07	06	05	04	03	02	01	00	99
MC	MC	27	47	2	6	5	6	2	27

For five years from 2000 Ernie Els did all but win at Augusta; he was never outside the top six and twice finished runner-up. In 2004 only a magical back nine of 31 strokes from Phil Mickelson prevented him from claiming a green jacket. But his last four visits have reaped nothing better than 27th and he hasn't broken 74 in his last six rounds at Augusta. It seems odd because the changes to the course should, in theory, suit him. But you have to wonder if Els is a beaten man in the Majors - ever since failing to hole the winning putt in the 2004 Open at Troon the shoulders have appeared a little slumped. He still talks a good game and on his website insists, "From tee to green I'm hitting it as well as I have at any time in my career. My putting feels good, too." But you begin to wonder if even he believes it. The results don't lie: one win in five years in America and his only top ten finish in a strokeplay event this year came at the start of January.