2005 - 2008

A storming start to 2005 saw Ernie notch-up seven consecutive top-six finishes, including victories in three European Tour events before the end of April, the Dubai Desert Classic, Qatar Masters and BMW Asian Open. A solid run of form was cut short the week after the Open Championship, when a freak accident while on a sailing holiday in the Mediterranean required ACL replacement surgery on his left knee. He would then not play another official counting tour event in the 2005 season.

Ernie returned to competitive action in December 2005 and won his second tournament, the 2006 Alfred Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek. The remainder of 2006 would prove to be a period of near misses and frustration, although Ernie’s form was consistent enough to lead the stroke averages in Europe. Two playoff losses, to Tiger Woods in the Dubai Desert Classic and Adam Scott in the Barclays Singapore Open, were among 16 top-10 finishes from 27 strokeplay tournaments.

The breakthrough came in December 2006 with victory at the South African Airways Open, a 2007 European Tour event. It meant Ernie maintained his record of winning a tournament in every calendar year since 1991. Also in 2007, Ernie won a record seventh World Matchplay title and by the year-end had occupied a spot in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking for more than 700 consecutive weeks, more than any other currently active golfer.

In 2008 Ernie won the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour and in November won the King Hassan II Golf Trophy in Morocco.