Ernie Els will face the prospect of missing the first Major of the year, unless he wins the PGA Tour's Houston Open this week to secure his spot in the Masters starting on the fifteenth of April.
Els failed to finish in solo second in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the weekend, which would have secured him a place at the Masters for the 19th year in succession.
He fired a final-round three-over 75 to end in a share of fourth on five-under-par, eight shots behind Tiger Woods who claimed his first official PGA Tour victory since 2009.
Unless Els wins this week's PGA tournament, he will miss the Masters for the first time since 1993.
