| Ernie Els' family has been through trying times
As the golfer ranked third in the world, Ernie Els can fix a swing. But he can't fix Ben, his only son. Ben is 6, and he has autism. On Tuesday, Els used the same press tent at the Verizon Heritage where he usually diagnoses fades and hooks to speak at length about Ben for the first time publicly.
"You know, you want your kid to be a normal kid, like everybody," he said. "You want your kid to play sports and you want your kid to do normal things, and when it doesn't happen, you kind of ask questions, and that's when you really want to know exactly from doctors, you want to know the answer."
Like so many others, Ernie and Liezl Els thought their son was simply a slow developer. When they spoke to him, there was no response. He didn't walk until he was 2.
They had Ben tested across the globe only to find that there is no simple, straight answer.
One in 150 American children -- and almost one in 94 boys -- has autism. It's a disorder with no known single cause. It affects a person's ability to communicate and interact with others.
As Els, 38, stands on the Harbour Town driving range this week, he can't help but think how many of the younger players up and down the line will wrestle with autism. They'll need a program to follow, and that's why Els said what he said to the world Tuesday.
"... We all want to have families and we all want to live happily ever after," he said. "But things happen in life, and you've got to be more prepared when it happens."
Life is not as easy as his famous swing, but Els offers hope.
"The good Lord gave us a good challenge here, and he won't give it to people that can't handle it," he said. "That's what I feel like."
Picture perfect
Linda Hartough of Spring Island -- called "the Rembrandt of the back nine" by The New York Times -- will host a public drop-in from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight at her gallery next to CQ's restaurant in Harbour Town.
Her Lowcountry landscape paintings were discovered at the island's Red Piano gallery in the early 1980s. She was commissioned to paint the 13th hole at Augusta National Golf Club and the rest is history. She's now the only artist ever commissioned by the U.S. Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Club of St. Andrews to do the annual, official paintings and prints for the U.S. Open and British Open.
Now those first two golf commissions -- the 13th and 16th holes at Augusta -- are back in her gallery and for sale. Bring your checkbook. They're $70,000 each, or two for $130,000. |