Well, it’s been a while! So we thought it was high time to check-in and let you know what’s been happening on and off the golf course.
My PGA TOUR season effectively came to an end at the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield CC a couple of weeks ago. As I’ve said before, it’s always enjoyable teeing it up on this beautiful old Donald Ross layout, and actually I played some pretty good stuff out there. I just wasn’t quite as sharp on and around the greens as I’d have liked, which meant a 2-under par aggregate and unfortunately missing the cut right on the number. That always stings a little bit.
Next up, it was a nice surprise to get an invite from my long-term sponsor Boeing to play as a special guest in the Pro-Am at the Boeing Classic, one of the most popular stops on the Champions Tour. It’s easy to see why. Snoqualmie Ridge is a fine golf course in a really beautiful setting. And Boeing clearly do a wonderful job with this tournament. I had a great time and want to thank the guys at Boeing, the fans, and everyone at the Champions Tour for making me feel so welcome.
Looking ahead, my schedule is pretty quiet for September. There are no tournaments for me, so we’ll work on my game and my fitness at home in Florida. It’s also a nice opportunity for me to catch up on some business affairs with the team here. We’ve got quite a lot of exciting things happening right across the Els Group just now…and, of course, I’ll share the news with you once everything is properly finalised.
I’ll next be back into the competitive swing in the first week of October when we fly over to the UK for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, always a favourite stop of mine. We’ll then be moving into the start of a new PGA TOUR season and currently we’re hoping to tee it up in the CIMB Classic and the CJ Cup. Hard to believe, but that’ll most likely be my last full season on the PGA TOUR before we turn our attentions to the Champions Tour in 2019/20. That in itself is very exciting, though. It’s also, I think, a topic for another day!
For now, we’ll wrap things up by updating you with news from South Africa and our Drive to Sun City series in support of Els for Autism. The most recent stop was at Oubaai (pictured below), our first ever golf course design project in South Africa and a really beautiful layout. Click here if you’d like to play the course: http://www.oubaaigolf.co.za/home.
Sadly the weather wasn’t kind to us. But still, a field of 76 players, including my Dad, played through the rain. One thing’s for sure, this resort never disappoints, so I’m not surprised to hear that everyone had a wonderful time and that the food was excellent, too. Congrats to the days’ winners, N Rossouw and H Van Niekerk, with a score of 47 points.
If you’re interested in taking part in any of the days on the schedule, please click here for details: http://www.ernieelscentre4autism.co.za/events.asp. Remember, all regional winners qualify to play in the Grand Final at spectacular Lost City in Sun City from 31 October to 1 November.
Okay, that’s it for now. Follow me on Twitter @TheBig_Easy.
