Els wins Golfer of the Year award

Ernie Els has been named Asprey Golfer of the Year for the second-successive season.

Ernie Els has been named Asprey Golfer of the Year for the second-successive season.

The South African won five times on the European Tour in 2003 and captured the Volvo Order of Merit for the first time.

"It is a wonderful honour," he said. "Although I didn't emulate my Major championship success of 2002 [when he won the Open] , I was delighted to win seven times on three different continents and to follow my good friend, Retief Goosen, as the Volvo Order of Merit winner. It is a great thrill to be European number one for the first time."