Behind by three shots, Els ended up with a one-shot win over David Toms, finishing with a 2-under 69 in the tournament and winning $600,000 in prize money.

Els was filling in for Masters champion Phil Mickelson as an alternate. It was his second victory in the 36-hole event, which is reserved for the year’s four major champions. Els also won in 1997 when it was at Poipu Bay.

Toms, another alternate who replaced British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, chipped in for birdie on No. 12 and stretched his lead to three shots when Els bogeyed the 13th.

Els made the first of his successive birdies on the 14th at Port Royal Golf Course, but his hopes for a two-shot swing ended when Toms again chipped in, this time for par.

“When a guy does it once, you’re thinking, ‘Good shot.’ When he does it twice in three holes, you’re thinking maybe he’s destined to win this thing,” Els said. “It took a bit of the pressure off me in a way, where I freewheeled it, tried to see how close I could get to him.”

Toms shot 71 in his first appearance in the PGA Grand Slam since 2001, when he won the PGA Championship. He earned $300,000. U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell (73) and PGA champion Martin Kaymer (71) tied for third, eight shots behind, and each earned $225,000.

Els will play a tournament next week in Malaysia and then in the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai the following week.

Everyone wants to get a look at the Championship Course at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge. The course this year is featuring new greens and tees. The bunkers are expected to be more challenging and runoffs might be more common on the newly sloped and shaped greens. One thing the players will like to see is that course now plays to a par 72, as two of the par 4′s have been changed to par 5′s to enhance scoring possibilities.

The players are the real stars and there are no shortage of great players entered this week. Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker, and Stewart Cink are some of the internet betting lines favorites for this event and highlight a superb field. Foreign stars like Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, and Vijay Singn are all looking to add this tournament to their resume.

Veterans David Toms, Davis Love III, and Scott Verplank are all playing well, and young stars like Rickey Barnes, Jaspn Day, and Hunter Mahan are all looking for an important win before The Masters.

One special note is Arnold Palmer’s Grandson Sam Saunders is also in the field this week, looking to do his grandfather proud.