Ernie Els has the putting yips.
We first saw it clearly when Els missed a 1-foot putt at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October. Then, he did it again at the CIMB Classic, confirming the problem.
Then at this week's weather-plagued BMW South African Open, which Els is hosting, he did it again, missing an 18-inch putt that has left people shaking their heads. Els, who was forced to get away from the belly putter because of the new ban on the anchored putting stroke, is frustrated.
"I'm so stubborn," Els said on Sky Sports. "I felt like I could do the same thing I have for the last 30 years and get the same results."
However, Els thinks he has an answer in the Jordan Spieth Method, otherwise known as cross-handed putting.
"I putted cross-handed in the second round and it felt so much better," Els said. "I love the game too much, I'm not going to stop. I'm going to get over this by using the cross-handed method and still have fun out there."
