Four-time Major winning Ernie Els has set himself a goal in becoming an Olympian in 2016 and when golf returns to the Olympic arena for a first time since 1904..
Els will be 46 years old when the world’s best golfer’s tee up on the Gil Hanse designed course in Rio de Janeiro.
And Els, who has also captured another 44 tournaments around the globe, declared it would be the ‘icing on the cake’ in a professional career already spanning 25 years.
“As we get closer to 2016 I would love to be on the South African team representing South Africa in the Olympics, and it comes off it would be the extra special bit of icing on my career,” he said.
“Presently, there’s really no opportunity other than the World Cup of Golf for a South African golfer to directly represent his country so it would just be unbelievable to be a part of the team.
Ernie Els again shows his love of South African sport and seen here proudly sitting amid the mighty Springboks.
“But once the New Year comes I will start thinking more seriously of making the team so I will need to win some tournaments to make that push higher up the rankings.”
Els’ desire to become an Olympian comes after American Phil Mickelson also expressed a wish earlier this year of qualifying for the USA Team, and if successful Mickelson will also be aged 46 at the time of the Rio Olympics.
To qualify, Els will need to be among the leading two South Africans on the ‘Olympic Golf Rankings’ (OGR) that commenced on July 11th, 2014 and that will run for a two-year period up to an including July 11th, 2016.
At present, Charl Schwartzel is the top-ranked South African at No. 16 on the OGR and with Els the second ranked at 23rd.
Just 59 ‘international’ male players will be chosen along with one from the host nation Brazil to tee up in Rio to make up 60 male competitors plus an equal number of female competitors.
“I never thought when I started playing this game that I would be standing here talking of playing in the Olympics but I’m really getting excited of being on the same international stage as those stars of track and field,” said Els.
“It would be wonderful just to spend time with them in the environment of an Olympic Games.
“And if I do qualify, and I really hope I do as when next year comes around that will become a burning of goal of mine to get to Rio, I may even allow myself to thought of maybe carrying the South African flag into the main stadium (smiling).”
