As long as Lee Westwood and Henrik Stensson don't both finish among the top 5 in the Tour championship this weekend, Ernie Els will finish 2008 ranked among the world's top ten. Not too remarkable, you may say, but he's been ranked among the top 10 - without a break - since June 1994.
That's pretty remarkable longevity, even among golfers, who can still compete at the highest level in their 40s (Els is 39). The only other players in modern golf history I can think of who would have been among the top ten for 14 years or more would be the "big 3" of Palmer, Player and Nicklaus, and then possibly Norman and Ballesteros.
About the only other current sportsmen I can think of off the top of my head who've stayed around, at the very top of their sports, since before 1994 are Ryan Giggs and Phil Taylor.
That's pretty remarkable longevity, even among golfers, who can still compete at the highest level in their 40s (Els is 39). The only other players in modern golf history I can think of who would have been among the top ten for 14 years or more would be the "big 3" of Palmer, Player and Nicklaus, and then possibly Norman and Ballesteros.
About the only other current sportsmen I can think of off the top of my head who've stayed around, at the very top of their sports, since before 1994 are Ryan Giggs and Phil Taylor.
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