Ernie Els admits his meltdown at the Alfred Dunhill is perhaps the most disappointing experience of his career.
South African at a loss to explain triple-bogey blunder
Ernie Els has admitted that his final hole meltdown at the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday is perhaps the most disappointing experience of his professional career.
The South African appeared nailed on to win the event at Leopard Creek as he stood on the tee at the final hole with a two-shot lead.
Victory would have seen the South African become only the fourth player - behind Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo - to win a European Tour event outside the majors and world championships on four separate occasions.
However, an incredible few minutes saw Els twice find water at the par-five 18th and, after missing a six-foot putt to force a play-off, card a triple-bogey eight that handed a one-stroke win to John Bickerton.
Els admits the experience is hard to digest, but insists he will bounce back from the setback.
"Yesterday is about the most disappointed I've ever felt walking off a golf course," he told his official website. "I was gutted.
"But let's keep things in proportion, this is sport. It's not like anyone died out there. I just have to take it on the chin and move on."
Horrible
"It was horrible but it's history. It shouldn't happen but it does.
"If you look back over the years some of the best players in the world have thrown away tournaments on the last few holes. What more can you say?"
"In many ways it's a good thing I'm playing again this week. I need to jump right back on the horse.
"I fully intend to bounce back strongly and win this week's South African Open for what would be the fifth time in my career. That would be the best early Christmas present I could give to myself."
Explaining his decision to go for the green in two rather than lay-up, he added: "I bombed a great drive down the middle of the fairway. I'm sure some people today might say I should have laid up short of the water (with my second) but I had only about 190 yards to the front edge and for me that's a comfortable six-iron.
"I really didn't feel like it was a lay-up situation. Like I said, people will disagree, but it's easy to be smart and make judgments after the event. I went with what I felt was the right shot at the time."
