• Out of Bounds

When a Grand Slam of Golf is not a Grand Slam of Golf

Ernie Els found beautiful Bermuda to his liking © Getty Images

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Ernie Els boosted his bank balance to the tune of $600,000 for winning the Grand Slam of Golf at the weekend, but it was not exactly a grand slam of golf.

Els last won a grand slam in 2002, The Open, but this did not prevent him from heading to Bermuda and scooping the pot. If that was not bad enough, the man he beat into second was David Toms, whose last major win came at the US PGA Championship in 2001.

The two major winners from 2010 who were in the field, US Open winner Graeme McDowell and US PGA Champion Martin Kaymer trailed in joint last - hardly a glowing endorsement for the Grand Slam of Golf.

Four became three as Louis Oosthuizen pulled out due to injury - having stepped in a pothole while on a hunting trip in his native South Africa. Now on the list of excuses, that is a pretty good one. And three became two when Masters champion Phil Mickelson pulled out, citing the need to spend time with his family and problems with the arthritic condition he has been battling.

The decisions met favour with Els, who said when picking up his trophy: "I'd like to thank Louis and Phil Mickelson for not showing up and giving us a bit of Christmas money."

While Oosthuizen has a valid excuse, having not played since damaging his ankle, Mickelson's lack of commitment to the event suggests it is anything but a Grand Slam of Golf.

The four major winners from 2009 turned up and competed in Bermuda, but Lucas Glover, Angel Cabrera, Stewart Cink and YE Yang hardly set the pulse racing. For this event to be a winner, and by winner it means ratings winner, organisers need the Tiger Woodses, Phil Mickelsons and Steve Strickers of this world to win majors and commit to the event. But even if they win, as Mickelson did this year, they are not overly keen on turning up.

The event has been played on 28 occasions and has been won by the likes of Woods, Mickelson, Greg Norman and Lee Trevino, but it does look to be on the wane and to throw $1.35m at what is a glorified Skins Game does not make much sense.

The Grand Slam of Golf needs to be revamped or allowed to die. The only way to ensure it is not devalued is to have it written in contracts that if you win a major, you must play in the Grand Slam of Golf.

Genuine injuries are a valid excuse, as in Oosthuizen's case, but fatigue or some other ailment should not be accepted. It is either a Grand Slam of Golf or it isn't. What it cannot be is "a bit of Christmas money" for a man who has not won a major for eight years.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.