So talented and so rhythmic, it’s a wonder to watch Ernie Els play golf. But he’s quickly becoming the Greg Norman of the new millennium.

That’s okay. Greg Norman was great. But this coming in second thing in the majors has got to be getting Els down. He was second at the Masters again last year and second again at the British Open. In 2000 he was second five times, including the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open, and he had another second at the British Open in 1996.

Els did come in first three times last year, including the Memorial and the American Express World Golf Championship, and he does hold three major championships—the 1994 and 1997 U.S. Open and the 2002 British Open.

But Els was second on the money list in 2004 and second in the Tour scoring average. Of course, second is better than third, which is where he is in the world rankings.

A victory at the Masters is all Els needs to turn those seconds into firsts

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ONES TO WATCH  • Ernie Els  • Sergio Garcia  • Retief Goosen  • Padraig Harrington  • Davis Love III  • Phil Mickelson  • Adam Scott  • Vijay Singh  • Mike Weir  • Tiger Woods

DARK HORSES  • Darren Clarke  • Fred Couples  • John Daly  • Chris DiMarco  • Todd Hamilton  • Charles Howell III