Ernie Els doesn’t want to return as International Team captain for 2021 Presidents Cup
One Presidents Cup is enough for Ernie Els.
Els, who served as the team captain for the International Team at Royal Melbourne in December, said on Friday that he has no plans to return to that role in 2021.
“That’s as good as I can do,” Els said, via the Morning Read. “I gave it all. This is another change I wanted to make in our team.
“I get one opportunity, win or lose. You don’t get a second chance.”
Els nearly led the International Team to a win in Australia in December, a win that would’ve marked their first victory since 1998. They held a 10-8 lead heading into the singles matches, though Tiger Woods and the U.S. Team rallied back to take the biennial event 16-14. The Americans now hold a 11-1-1 all-time record at the Presidents Cup.
The South African said he told his team after the event that he was going to step down, and even met with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan last month, who asked him to come back.
“I want to do it. There is so much of me that wants to do it, but I know the hardest thing is to step away,” Els said, via the Morning Read.
“I can understand why people become dictators. You can get hooked on that power.”
The next Presidents Cup will take place at Quail Hollow Club in North Carolina in 2021. Team captains for the event are expected some time this spring.
Trevor Immelman, Mike Weir, Geoff Ogilvy and K.J. Choi were all assistants with Els in December, and could take over in his absence. U.S. Team captain Tiger Woods hasn’t yet announced whether he’ll return in 2021, either.
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