Ernie Els condemns South African LIV Golf players: "How in the HELL!"

Ernie Els has criticised the South African contingent of LIV Golf League players, expressing his disappointment with how they disrupted the game.

Ben Smith

22 Feb 2023

Ernie Els condemns South African LIV Golf players: "How in the HELL!"

Ernie Els says LIV Golf "showed me the door early on" as he revealed his disappointment at not being consulted by the South African contingent who joined the breakaway tour.

Speaking to the Palm Beach Post, The Big Easy stated that he had "nurtured" a lot of South African PGA Tour players over the years and he "didn't like" how they bolted from the North American circuit.

Els told the publication that he's still pals with the likes of Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace and Charl Schwartzel but added: "We've lost that comrarderie, definitely."

Oosthuizen, 40, has added a new player to his Stinger GC roster side in the off-season. Hennie du Plessis was axed in favour of Dean Burmester.

Ernie Els condemns South African LIV Golf players:

The 2010 Open winner previously stated he didn't understand "all the fuss" about LIV.

Oosthuizen also said "it sucked" his decision to join LIV resulted in him missing out on the Presidents Cup.

Oosthuizen was a topic of conversation in our most recent podcast From The Tips with Sky Sports commentator Tony Johnstone.

Six-time European Tour winner Johnstone stated Oosthuizen's back is "like glass" and reckons he only has a few years left in the game.

Els said:

"I'm still friends with them but it's different.

"I was disappointed they never asked me my opinion. I had them in the foundation [in South Africa], looked after them as youngsters.

"They flew with me, they stayed at my house. Kind of nurtured them to get onto the PGA Tour. It just was done in a way I didn't like.

"As an international player and living in South Africa, it’s tough to come over here, your family, upend your whole household to join the PGA Tour. So I get that. But for me, no."

Els, 53, also said he did not like how they disrupted professional golf.

He said:

"They have gone about it the wrong way and they've really upended a lot of good the game stands for. The whole thing just doesn't sit right."

LIV will head into their second campaign still without OWGR accreditation.

Els has a theory.

"There is no way you can give ranking points. They're playing team golf. They say it's all about team golf. How in the hell can you give that any serious consideration?

"It's not a stroke-play event, you're playing a team event with 48 players. There is no way they can get ranking points."

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"They basically showed me the door"

Els also confirmed that he spoke to LIV officials before its launch at Centurion Club last June.

The South African said he urged LIV to partner with the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and DP World Tour.

Els said:

"We can play around the world and play team golf and get some television network that will buy it and come back to your respective tours and get on with life.

"I think that would have been a cool way… they didn't see it that way and they basically showed me the door early on."

Next page: Two LIV players lose Open spots after R&A rule change