The Latest: End of an era for Ernie Els at US Open
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. Open (all times local):
12:55 p.m.
Ernie Els is at the end of a U.S. Open career that began at Baltusrol in 1993, a month before Jordan Spieth was even born.
Els won the U.S. Open in 1994 at Oakmont and in 1997 at Congressional, and when his 10-year exemption ended, he played well enough to earn his spot in the field through a money list or world ranking until he won the 2012 British Open, earning a five-year exemption.
He is playing on a special exemption for the second straight year. It’s rare for players to get more than one special exemption.
Els has a good record at Pebble Beach, finishing runner-up in 2000 to Tiger Woods and finishing third in 2010. The runner-up finish is a little misleading because he finished 15 shots behind.
Els turns 50 in October. He realizes his time contending at the U.S. Open is probably over. He says, “I just want to have a great week in my own way.”
