Golf legend Ernie Els is a philanthropist and a family man. The South African pro golfer Theodore Ernest Els is more popular under the nickname, ‘The Big Easy.’ His swinging style on the course is worthy of admiration. But it could be his bearing on and off the field that earned him this warm nickname.
The ace scorer was born on October 17, 1969. Els has a little over 70 victories adorning his career. The Big Easy has secured four of the bigger league championships over the 34 years of his professional golfing career. Only six golf players have ever won both the U.S. Open and the Open Championship twice, and Els is one of them.
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His tee box beginnings include three titles in the junior or amateur categories. He had defeated the now-star Phil Mickelson when they were both young.
Ernie Els understands the challenges of autism. His son’s autism and his involvement in programs concerning the spectrum of conditions led him to found the Els for Autism Foundation.
Ernie Els has a Nickname – the Reason, Meaning, and Legacy
“The Big Easy” Ernie Els is not a big fan of his nickname. Having made a name for oneself in the field of golf, Els believes that it undermines his decades of effort. He is also humble enough to admit that he strays away from the drift of the nickname at times. Why is the celebrated golfer under these impressions? What gives him the name “The Big Easy”?
Our star stands tall at 6 ft 3 in and has a 210-pound build. On the field, he showcases fluid swings that span wide in proportion to his height. His swings yet pack the punch that has taken him to the top. The way he makes these big swings easy is the technical side of the nickname “Big Easy”.
5. Ernie Els “The Big Easy”
One of the greatest Iron players of all time #Golf #PGAChampionship #pga pic.twitter.com/HiRwwieP6x
— Franks (@stevefranks8008) June 4, 2021
The human side is that Ernie Els is always polite. He is easy to be around. His philanthropic activities come out of a big heart; not out of the big name. Ernie Els stays true to his nickname as a person, whether he admits it or not.
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The legacy of Ernie ‘The Big Easy’ Els carries on chiefly with “The Big Easy Tour” of South Africa. It qualifies talent for the Sunshine Tour. The young American professional golfer Michelle Sung Wie West would also carry the legacy of Els. Wie West is given the nickname “the Big Wiesy”. The former Open champion, Tom Lehman gave her this nickname.
Ernie Els’s Net Worth and Achievements
The net worth of the former World No. 1 Ernie Els is $85 million as per websites like Yahoo Finance.
Els has two U.S. Opens and two Open Championships to his name. He has come in second twice at the Masters’ Tournaments. Els also has two World Golf Championships. He has made his way to the ‘Top 10’ lists at The Tradition, Senior Players Championships, and Senior British Open Championships. Simply put, ‘The Big Easy’ has barely hit the rough.
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Ernie Els has a key role in internationalizing the sport. He has also designed golf courses in the USA, China, South Africa, Malaysia, UAE, Vietnam, Bahrain, The Bahamas, and Mauritius. Putting green all over the world looks like a big-but-not-easy plan. The big heart is facilitating people of all abilities and arenas.