We’ve arrived with the family in South Africa for our customary end-of-season vacation, something we all look forward to very much.
But before I pretty much disappear until the New Year, there’s time for a quick update. The inaugural World Champions Cup in Florida, which we wrote about in a previous report, turned out to be a very special week. It was great to be part of such an amazing team (pictured below). We gave it our best shot and we had so much fun along the way, too. Of course, in the heat of the moment it stings to lose, but it was an unbelievable finish – a good one for the spectators! Congrats to the American team.
Reflecting on the first playing of this tournament, obviously none of us quite knew what to expect, but all of us are united in thinking it was a real success, featuring some great golf on a demanding golf course. The format works; the games were very tight and no one really broke away. I mean, after all those matches, all those points up for grabs, it came down to the final hole, pretty much the final shot. I think we’ll all take away some wonderful memories of the week. It’s certainly a nice addition to the Champions Tour schedule.
And really that’s about it for 2023. As I said in my previous report, golf-wise it’s been a solid year. Just the one victory and a bunch of top-10s. I had some leads, had some chances, but didn’t quite finish the job off. In this off-season I’ll have a little think about my tournament schedule in 2024. I love the competition and I’m enjoying being on the Champions Tour with the guys, but I’m thinking I might play a bit less than I have the last 2-3 years. We’ll see.
Away from the competitive golf scene, there’s a lot of activity in the pipeline. In particular, 2024 looks like being a big year for Ernie Els Design. We can’t wait to share more news with you on that front. Myself and the whole team are really excited about what’s in store.
One final thing, my good friend Nico Van Rensburg and the team at Els for Autism have launched the schedule for the Ernie Els Charities SA Series for 2024. As always, they’ve done a superb job pulling together a calendar of golf days at some great venues around South Africa (see poster below). Get in touch if you’d like to take part.
All that remains is for me to thank you as always for your support throughout 2023. It means a lot to me. I wish you and your families good health and happiness in 2024. When all is said and done, that’s what matters in life.
