Ernie Els of South Africa waits his turn during the Pro-am of the Heineken Classic at the Vines Resort Golf Club in Perth yesterday. - (Photograph: Andrew Reddington/Allsport)

Ernie Els, upset that he was not given a special exemption onto the European tour this season, may rejoin the circuit after all. Els's membership lapsed when he fell one short of the stipulated 11-tournament minimum last year.

Els is red-hot favourite for the Heineken Classic starting in Perth today. Last week's Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket kicked off the European circuit and this week's event also counts, as do the South African Open and PGA championships. Els will also play in the Dubai Desert Classic, Murphy's Irish Open and possibly, the Volvo PGA championship, if he does, that and the four Majors, would take him to the 11.