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ELS, WITH HOPE FOR MORE, IS HALL OF FAMER
By LARRY DORMAN
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/sports/golf/10golf.html
May 9 2011
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - A gentle giant from Johannesburg, and a
self-proclaimed former "mean guy" from Manhattan who grew up on Seaman
Avenue in Inwood. One of the most recognizable athletes ever produced
by Japan, and a former president of the United States. A Scot born
in St. Andrews who emigrated to the United States, and an Armenian
immigrant's son and one of the greatest producers in the history of
televised sports.
The roll call for Monday night's six inductees into the World Golf
Hall of Fame underscored the game's diverse history and global reach,
admitting new members who could not be more different, with the
exception of one thing: all share an abiding love of golf.
The members of the class of 2011 are Ernie Els, 41, elected by
his peers on the PGA Tour; Doug Ford, 88, selected in the veterans
category; Jumbo Ozaki, 63, elected on the International ballot; former
President George H. W. Bush, 86, selected in the lifetime achievement
category; Jock Hutchison, selected in the veterans category; and the
late Frank Chirkinian, the former executive producer for golf for CBS,
selected in the lifetime achievement category.
The South African Els won the United States Open twice (1994, 1997)
and the 2002 British Open and more than 60 worldwide tournaments with
a swing that embodied effortless power and a demeanor that was the
essence of grace. These two traits and his 6-foot-3 frame earned him
the nickname the Big Easy, one of golf's most fitting handles.
He is the sixth active PGA Tour player selected since the current
procedure was introduced in 1998, and he is still intent on adding
to his legacy. He has decided to go back to a standard-length putter
this week at the Players Championship after more than a year of
experimenting with different lengths of putters and styles of putting.
"There's so many great tournaments coming up," he said. "I really
want to be ready to play them. I feel I'm close, although the way I've
finished has been atrocious. But I feel I'm not too far away. So I'd
like to kick-start it hopefully here this week."
As Els looked forward, Ford was looking both ways. His memory is
sharp. After describing how he played the famous par-5 15th hole on
Saturday and Sunday during his 1957 Masters victory - driver, 3-wood
into the bank, bounced back into the creek for bogey on Saturday;
the same two clubs, bounced off the bank onto the green, birdie on
Sunday - Ford said his current game was not bad, either.
Armed with one of the new white-headed drivers from Taylor-Made that he
picked up a few weeks ago, Ford said he was playing "not once a week"
but was driving the ball about 230 yards. "It amazes me how close to
how I used to hit it that I can hit it with this equipment," he said.
Among the more highly anticipated moments of the night was the playing
of a taped interview with Chirkinian, filmed by a crew from the World
Golf Hall of Fame shortly before his death from cancer in March.
Chirkinian, who fought the disease for more than a year, rallied for
one last production to talk about his life in golf.
The tape will be among the artifacts enshrined in his exhibit in
the Hall. Els encased a golf bag from his original sponsor, Lynx,
and one from his current sponsor, Callaway, complete with wedges on
which the wedge maker Roger Cleveland had engraved the names of his
wife, Liezl; his daughter, Samantha; and his son, Ben.
Ford had one thing hanging in his exhibit that Els would like to have
in his - a green jacket.
"I feel so much drive in me, so much that I'd still like to accomplish
in the game," said Els, who has finished second twice at Augusta
National. "I know time is running out, but many players have won
quite a few majors in their 40s. I'd like to prove them right somehow."
From: A. Papazian
By LARRY DORMAN
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/sports/golf/10golf.html
May 9 2011
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - A gentle giant from Johannesburg, and a
self-proclaimed former "mean guy" from Manhattan who grew up on Seaman
Avenue in Inwood. One of the most recognizable athletes ever produced
by Japan, and a former president of the United States. A Scot born
in St. Andrews who emigrated to the United States, and an Armenian
immigrant's son and one of the greatest producers in the history of
televised sports.
The roll call for Monday night's six inductees into the World Golf
Hall of Fame underscored the game's diverse history and global reach,
admitting new members who could not be more different, with the
exception of one thing: all share an abiding love of golf.
The members of the class of 2011 are Ernie Els, 41, elected by
his peers on the PGA Tour; Doug Ford, 88, selected in the veterans
category; Jumbo Ozaki, 63, elected on the International ballot; former
President George H. W. Bush, 86, selected in the lifetime achievement
category; Jock Hutchison, selected in the veterans category; and the
late Frank Chirkinian, the former executive producer for golf for CBS,
selected in the lifetime achievement category.
The South African Els won the United States Open twice (1994, 1997)
and the 2002 British Open and more than 60 worldwide tournaments with
a swing that embodied effortless power and a demeanor that was the
essence of grace. These two traits and his 6-foot-3 frame earned him
the nickname the Big Easy, one of golf's most fitting handles.
He is the sixth active PGA Tour player selected since the current
procedure was introduced in 1998, and he is still intent on adding
to his legacy. He has decided to go back to a standard-length putter
this week at the Players Championship after more than a year of
experimenting with different lengths of putters and styles of putting.
"There's so many great tournaments coming up," he said. "I really
want to be ready to play them. I feel I'm close, although the way I've
finished has been atrocious. But I feel I'm not too far away. So I'd
like to kick-start it hopefully here this week."
As Els looked forward, Ford was looking both ways. His memory is
sharp. After describing how he played the famous par-5 15th hole on
Saturday and Sunday during his 1957 Masters victory - driver, 3-wood
into the bank, bounced back into the creek for bogey on Saturday;
the same two clubs, bounced off the bank onto the green, birdie on
Sunday - Ford said his current game was not bad, either.
Armed with one of the new white-headed drivers from Taylor-Made that he
picked up a few weeks ago, Ford said he was playing "not once a week"
but was driving the ball about 230 yards. "It amazes me how close to
how I used to hit it that I can hit it with this equipment," he said.
Among the more highly anticipated moments of the night was the playing
of a taped interview with Chirkinian, filmed by a crew from the World
Golf Hall of Fame shortly before his death from cancer in March.
Chirkinian, who fought the disease for more than a year, rallied for
one last production to talk about his life in golf.
The tape will be among the artifacts enshrined in his exhibit in
the Hall. Els encased a golf bag from his original sponsor, Lynx,
and one from his current sponsor, Callaway, complete with wedges on
which the wedge maker Roger Cleveland had engraved the names of his
wife, Liezl; his daughter, Samantha; and his son, Ben.
Ford had one thing hanging in his exhibit that Els would like to have
in his - a green jacket.
"I feel so much drive in me, so much that I'd still like to accomplish
in the game," said Els, who has finished second twice at Augusta
National. "I know time is running out, but many players have won
quite a few majors in their 40s. I'd like to prove them right somehow."
From: A. Papazian