Born on October 9, 1961 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Ernie Els was one of the most successful golfers of his era. He won over 70 tournaments worldwide

How did Ernie become a golfing legend? He is a five-time winner of the Masters Tournament and has also won The Open Championship.

In 1991, he became the first non-American to win the PGA Championship. He has been inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame

Ernie Els was born on October 5, 1967 in Swartruggens, South Africa. He started playing golf at the age of six and quickly became a star on the amateur circuit.

Ernie Els was born on October 5, 1967 in Swartruggens, South Africa. He started playing golf at the age of six and quickly became a star on the amateur circuit.

Ernie Els began his professional golfing career as a journeyman player, playing in several mini-tours before finally capturing his first major championship – the U.S. Open

Els says that it wasn't until after his victory that he realized what had happened: "The best thing about my Masters victory," he writes, "was that I didn't know how I did it."

A string of poor performances had left him frustrated and feeling as if he was not living up to his own standards. His life's work was golf

Ernie Els recounts an anecdote in his book Birdie: My Journey to the Top that provides insight into how a professional golfer can rebound from a rough patch in their career.