Heaven and Els

Martin and Els: winner and loser

It's an amazing turnaround and a fabulous moment for him.

Mark Roe on Pablo Martin
Quotes of the week

Ernie Els is suffering a crisis of confidence, according to leading coach Denis Pugh.

The three-time major winner went into the final of the Alfred Dunhill Championship just two shots off the lead but saw his chances of a long overdue victory scuppered.

Pablo Martin held his nerve to claim the trophy at Leopard Creek with Els finishing 10 shots back after a disastrous round of 77, including a double bogey on the last - a hole where he has suffered before.

It left the South African seeking his first tournament win in two years and, according to Pugh, with a huge problem to overcome.

"You'll fing a legion of players who can hit it well on the range and then go out and play with no confidence," he told Golf Night.

"Ernie looks like a god when he hits the ball on the range.

"He just flushes it, he's got that wonderful physique, easy-going manner, that very languid swing but there's something missing up here right now (pointing to his head) that's telling him 'I just don't have the confidence in what I'm doing - for whatever reason - short game, putting.

"Retief Goosen and Ernie Els are both players, to my mind, who don't have the mental game right now."

Superstar

One man who's game stood up in the spectacular surroundings was Martin, who became the first man to win on the European Tour as both a professional and amateur following his shock win at the Estoril Open de Portugal in 2007.

He held his nerve on Sunday to show that, after making a disappointing start to life in the paid ranks, that he has put his nightmare.

"From something that promised so much as victory as an amateur, then turning pro with us thinking he was going to be the next superstar, but it was a real struggle," said Mark Roe.

"It was like Justin Rose back when he first turned pro and missed 21 cuts in a row; Martin was similar to that, I think he missed 20 out of the first 22 cuts.

"It really is incredible; at the back of last year he clung on to the cliff face of keeping his card when he could well have dropped outside - but he kept his card and has come out a winner now.

"It's an amazing turnaround and a fabulous moment for him."