Somehow I still expect more from the Big Easy..

Yesterday one of my favourites Ernie Els was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame along with Frank Chirkinian, Doug Ford, the late Jock Hutchison, Jumbo Ozaki and former US President George H. W. Bush in the class of 2011.

It was a bitter sweet moment for me as I reflect this week on the passing of another favourite, Seve Ballesteros.

While I like everyone else have always enjoyed his immense talent, and more importantly his modesty, I am still left today feeling like I expected, and still expect more from the big guy, even though he unfortunately played in the Tiger era..

While he won the US Open in 1994 and 1997 and The Open Championship in 2002 among 26 European Tour titles and a further 40 worldwide, and like his idol Gary Player disdained the easy route of just playing the more lucrative PGA tour to be a true world golfer, I keep thinking of all the times he would miss a 10 footer at a crucial time like he did in 2004 at Troon, or dump one in the water on the final hole like he did against Tiger in Dubai in 2006 where on the playoff hole, the par 5 18th with Tiger on safely in two , Ernie who had been driving the hole perfectly all week put his drive into a grove of palm trees, and then hit his second shot into the pond protecting the green to lose it.

That seemed to happen too often to Ernie.

Apart from their epic battle in South Africa in the Presidents Cup, I really think Tiger rattled Ernie's pots and pans every time they were in meaningful competition.

For example in 2000, Ernie was 2nd to Vijay at the Masters,  but T2 to Tiger at the US Open at Pebble Beach albeit by 15 shots, then T2 at the St Andrews Open to Tiger again this time by 8... See what I mean about playing in the Tiger era

However in 2004 Ernie had the Masters won I thought until Mickelson made an 18-foot birdie on the final hole to beat him by one shot and he started in the final group at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills where Goosen won, but shot 80.

Now to Troon for the Open, the championship he will always covert the most, where he had to make 10-footers for birdie on the 16th and 17th holes to stay in contention and did.  Todd Hamilton bogeyed the 18th hole, leaving Ernie one of those 12-footers to win but he left it short !!

Then his putter let him down in the 4 hole playoff... He missed a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 1, then a 10 footer for par on the 17th, then the 15 footer for birdie on the final hole after Hamilton had used his 3 wood so brilliantly to chip in tight from 40 yards. He was so upset the cameras caught him in tears being consoled by his wife before the trophy presentation.

In all he was 2nd or 3rd in the Majors 10 times. Some have opined that he was a choker, or was he so good that he was bound to lose some if he kept putting himself in a position to win? Wasn't Jack 2nd at our Canadian Open 7 times

There is no doubt he deserves his induction, don't get me wrong, I just felt that between Tiger's brilliance and Ernie's frustrating ability to stumble at the final hurdle so many times I just am left feeling there should have been more..

Still I enjoyed his introduction by Sunshine Tour Chairman Johann Rupert who recalled Ernie's first of a record seven World Match Play victories at Wentworth in 1994, beating the late Seve Ballesteros along the way.

"The most memorable match was the semifinal against the late great Severiano Ballesteros. Between them in a single day, over 35 holes, they had 12 twos. Twice they chipped in on top of each other. I think one was for an eagle, both eagling it. In the locker room afterwards, Seve sat down next to Ernie's dad, Neels. 'Seven twos, and I still lose.'

Seve said, 'I tried very hard today, I played very well today, but your son is very special.' Neels' eyes I remember filled with tears.

Ernie plays this week at the Players, and while I don't expect it, you wouldn't be surprised if he won it would you?

Somehow I still expect more from the Big Easy..

Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles (with notes from europeantour.com)