Sports

Life’s been one Els of a ride since Ernie’s 2002 Open title

PRICELESS MOMENT: Defending British Open champion Ernie Els carries his son, Ben, who suffers from autism, during the Els for Autism Pro-am at the PGA National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., in March 2012. (Getty Images)

GULLANE, Scotland — Do not let the outward appearance fool you.

The not-a-care-in-the-world smile is genuine, but it also serves as a front for Ernie Els, a defense mechanism, a mask for the scar tissue built up inside his soul.

Despite appearances that might lead you to believe the contrary, it has not always been easy for the “Big Easy’’ — as Els has been affectionately known since he arrived on the golf scene in the early ’90s as a gangly (6-foot-3) South African youngster with a languid swing.

Eleven years ago, Els won the British Open at Muirfield, where the Open Championship returns this week for the first time since 2002.

When Els emerged victorious from a four-man playoff, capturing his second career major championship, it appeared his life was perfect — a series of green lights, sunny days and no taxes.

That perfect life, though, took a series of jagged turns — on and off the golf course. The most significant was the birth of his son, Ben, who is autistic. While Els was winning his first Claret Jug at Muirfield in his prime at age 32, his wife, Liezl, was pregnant with Ben.

“It’s been quite a ride,’’ Els said yesterday.

The ride has had as many ups as downs for Els, who — if nothing else — has proven himself as one of the all-time survivors in the game — something he might cherish more than all the hardware and notoriety he has acquired in his career.

“I’m very proud of the way we’ve kind of stuck with it,’’ Els said. “Life has taken quite a number of turns. Ben is 11 now and, you know, things happen. You always think that everything is going to be fine, which it is today, but there was a little bit of a time that tested us. Golf is my passion but, as a father, family is always going to be number one.’’

On the golf course, Els never got to No. 1 — thanks in most part to Tiger Woods, whose most dominant years coincided with Els’ prime. That led the always-frank Els to express his frustration so publicly if seemed as if he was opening a vein at every major championship.

He finished runner-up to Woods in the 2000 U.S. Open and British Open, which made his 2002 British Open win at Muirfield particularly significant, because finally he shed the bridesmaid dress.

While Els fought to keep his career at the top, he too has committed much of his off-course life aggressively spearheading “Els For Autism’’ to raise funds for research to fight the condition.

Ironically, after being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011, Els’ game — most particularly his putting — began to erode, and with that went his confidence.

The low point came at the end of 2011, when he missed three major championship cuts in a row and didn’t qualify to play in the 2012 Masters, because his game had deteriorated so dramatically.

Els appeared done. Finished. Nice career. Three major championships. Hall of Fame induction. But it was all unceremoniously fading to black.

And then, a year ago this week, Els was back — winning the 2013 British Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, his fourth major title. It seemingly came from nowhere.

“It’s been a hell of a ride,’’ Els said. “My advice is that if you’re writing a book, don’t write it at 25, write it at 45.”

Eleven years removed from his first British Open triumph, Els returns this week to Muirfield. At age 43, Els is back in the conversation as a player to beat in majors.

He, too, has his life off the course more in order, with Ben’s health improving with the advancement in medical treatment.

“When Ben was first diagnosed with autism it was, of course, a huge blow to the family because we were so uninformed,’’ Els said. “It is always the fear of the unknown that is so difficult. As we got ourselves around that and learned to adjust our lives with him it becomes easier every day and we find the joys in that. He makes us laugh every day.”