Els 1-Year Flashback: Ban It

I was going through some past stories as well as this week's coverage and saw Gary Van Sickle's story built around Ernie Els' denouncement of the governing bodies for suggesting there is a competitive advantage to anchoring the putter.

"If 90 percent of the guys were using it, or if the guys using it were at the top of the putting stats - give me something to really make me believe you have to ban it," Els said. "I saw a quote from Mike Davis - correct me if I'm wrong - saying they don't see that there's any importance in banning the putter. And then Webb [Simpson] wins [the 2012 U.S. Open], and I win, and they want to ban the putter. So I'm not too sure what their reason is behind this whole thing."

Last year on Valentines Day--February 14, 2012--Els could not have stated his views that it was a competitive advantage more fervently. The only difference is that he's since won a major using a form of, as he put it, "cheating," and a form of cheating the PGA Tour is now fighting to protect.

Nothing should be anchored to your body, and I believe‑‑ I still believe that.  I was in such a state that I felt that I needed to change something, which I did.  I went to the belly.  It hasn't really helped me that much, but it has helped me.  But I'm for it.  Ban it.  It's fine.

I know it's an individual's sport and narcissism is rampant, but still, it's pretty appalling to see such reversals all in the name of self-interest.