OUR ROAD WITH AUTISM

Ernie and Liezl Els have opened up about their love for their son, Ben

- FRANCO HAVENGA

ON THE face of it, it was a simple logo on a golf bag: Autism Speaks. But when The Big Easy walked onto the course 13 years ago with this American organisation’s logo on his bag, it was also a silent statement of intent.

This is how Ernie Els first told the world about the challenges facing his son Ben (then 5).

Until that American PGA tournament in 2008, the only people who knew that Ben was on the autism spectrum had been Ernie, his wife Liezl, their daughter Samantha and family and close friends.

By revealing his son’s condition in this way, Ernie took his first steps on a long journey to raising awareness about autism.

In a touching video recently shared on the PGA Tour Champions Facebook page, Ernie and Liezl (both 51) speak about their beloved Ben, the family’s precious moments together and the challenges his diagnosis has brought.

“We’re very, very happy. He’s a funny, amusing, beautiful young man who just turned 18,” Liezl says in the video.

“He wants to make you laugh all the time and he loves going to the golf course with Ernie and his friends.

“He rides along in the golf cart and enjoys the time with ‘the boys’, as he calls it.”

And he has a keen ear for blokey banter, bringing back swear words he hears on the course, Liezl adds.

“He gets a little mouthy because he hears a lot of stuff from me and the guys and he brings it home,” Ernie says in the video. “He kind of throws me under the bus.”