In 2000, Tiger Woods was in the prime of his career. He had already won two Major tournaments and would go on to add six more in the next three years. He was in the midst of a relatively unmatched streak of success, and Ernie Els got to see it first-hand that year.
The two golfers dueled at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and Els actually put in an equal performance to Woods through 72 holes. The golfers were tied heading into the par-five 18th hole, and improbably, they both eagled.
That sent the World No. 1 (Woods) and World No. 5 (Els) into a tense playoff. It was one of the most thrilling rounds of golf to be played and it gave fans the added bonus of extra holes.
Both players drove into the rough and landed nearly identical approach shots after that. They were separated by mere inches, and Woods nailed his putt in impressive fashion. He gave his signature fist pump, but Els had the chance to match. Unfortunately, Els left it a little short, giving Woods another statement victory. Check it out below:
🐅⚡️🔙 #FLASHBACK — Tiger Woods vs. Ernie Els. In a playoff. At Kapalua. Incredible stuff! @TWlegion
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) September 5, 2024
Els gave credit where it was due following one of the most epic duels in golf. Via Golf Digest, he said:
“I think he’s a legend in the making. You guys have helped, but he’s backed it up with his golf game. He’s 24. He’s probably going to be bigger than Elvis when he gets into his 40s.”
Els finished second in three Majors that year and ended the year ranked number two behind Woods. So this was truly a battle of two of the absolute best golfers in the world at the peak of their powers.
Ernie Els speaks about Tiger Woods’ success
Tiger Woods’ prime, a brief snapshot of which can be found above, was as impressive as anyone. In total, he is tied for the most PGA Tour wins of all time (82) and has the second-most Major wins in history (15). Ernie Els had a front-row seat to much of his success.
Via Golf Monthly, he raved about Tiger Woods in December 2023:
“Tiger was the greatest closer you’ve ever seen in this game. He was very dominant in the early 2000s. In 2000 he did great work with Butch Harmon. His swing was just right on. He was hitting the ball unbelievably well, but he really started getting his confidence with the putter. He knew those greens so well at Pebble Beach.”
He continued:
“He was just phenomenal. His dominance was just so impressive. He just never wavered. His ability to just stick with a game plan and have his mind and body do exactly what he wanted to do was just phenomenal.”
Woods did have one of the most impressive careers of any golfer, and Els believes there’s a few good reasons for that.
