While speaking with Golf Monthly, Ernie Els spoke about the part of his career that “left a sour taste in his mouth”.

“I think they all sting a little bit now that I think about it. A tournament I never won was The Masters. In 2004, I felt I was playing some of my best golf ever. I had a legitimate chance to win all four Majors. Although 1994 was my breakthrough year, in 2004 I was in my prime. I was doing a lot of really good things with my mental and physical game. David Leadbetter had my swing going beautifully, I was hitting it far and was doing a lot of things very well.

But not winning The Masters, that will forever be a sour taste in my mouth. It’s such an amazing event with so much prestige and it means so much, but the better player won that day. I finished second to Phil while playing one of my best rounds ever that Sunday, making really clutch putts and some birdies on the back nine. That really hurt.”

The South African was able to compile 75 professional victories, with 19 of them coming on the PGA Tour. In Els’ five starts at The Masters between 2000-2004, he finished in the top-6 all five times, and he finished runner-up in 2000 and 2004.

Despite never winning at Augusta National, Els was able to win four major championships, including two U.S. Open’s (1994 and 1997) and two Open Championships (2002 and 2012).

Els also told Golf Monthly about how much breaking through in 1994 with his first major meant to his career.

“When I look back now, my Major wins were all very special. Majors define you so much over your career. The 1994 US Open was a battle. I messed it up on the 18th hole. I made big mistakes in the play-off. It was one of the toughest victories ever. It took 92 holes. Looking back now, that win was very, very important because if I didn’t win that tournament, things could have turned out a lot differently in my career. I was 24 at the time. Winning the US Open gave me a lifetime exemption on the European Tour and a ten-year exemption on the PGA Tour, which means a lot.”

Article originally appeared on: Golfwrx.com