Posted on 04/30/2022 10:49:38 AM PDT by FLNittany
Perhaps you’ve heard the rumor that Ernie Els and Steve Marino (a colorful member of the Tour in his own right) put back a few and let the fists fly in Els’ private jet a few years back.
The rumor was further substantiated earlier this month when a friend of a friend to Marino, retired hockey player Mike Commodore, appeared on Barstool Sports’ Spittin Chiclets podcast and said this.
“Marino is…sitting at a bar crushing some beers. Ernie Els walks in and sits down and they have a couple beers. Els is like, “What do you do for a living?” Els has no…clue who this guy is. Marino is like, “Actually, I’m so many spots ahead of you on the money list.” They both laugh. Ernie likes him.”
Els then asked Marino if he was playing a particular tournament in Japan. When Marino said he was, Els said he’d give him a ride back to Florida on his jet. Three months later, they both make the cut at the tournament in Japan, and they finish the tournament. Marino wasn’t sure if Els remembered he’d promised him a lift, but then Els says he invited him aboard his plane…Marino, for his part, is pumped, having never experienced the joys of private aviation before.
“They get on the plane. It’s just the two of them. They’re crushing beers. They take off. Have some food. This and that. They’re having a blast. Marino’s like, ‘This is the greatest time of my life! I’m flying private. I’m crushing beers!’
“They’re standing kind of in the aisle or whatever and Ernie Els comes up to him and says something like, ‘Are you having a good time?’…and Els is like, ‘Now we fight!’ and straight-up headbutts him..hard…Ernie starts throwing him around all over the place, and the co-pilot comes back screaming.”
At this point in the pod, one of the hosts cuts in and mentions that the pilot said something along the lines of, “Ernie not again!” indicating Els has a penchant for such behavior.
Marino apparently, “covered in blood,” decided to try to get some sleep. “At some point, he wakes up, and Ernie Els is towering over him and just strokes him.”
The co-pilot then intervened again, in full parental mode, threatening, apparently, to ground the plane. The two then went to their separate corners and didn’t speak for the rest of the flight.
When the plane landed and Marino went to get off, Commodore said, “Ernie’s there waiting at the bottom of the stairs…and Ernie’s like, ‘Great flight, Steve, we’ll see you around!’”
Commodore also added “it’s confirmed” Marino lost a tooth in the fight(s).
Insane, right? Els, a guest on this week’s No Laying Up podcast,, essentially confirmed this tale of mile-high brawling.
“It was just myself and Stevie coming from Japan to Palm Beach,” Els said. “We had a lot to drink. There was a lot to talk about, and we kind of hugged each other. It was a lovefest on the airplane. Nobody got seriously injured. It was all in good fun. It’s just what guys do and there’s a lot of testosterone running.”
Yes. When there’s a lot of testosterone running, a certain set might take to beat the hell out of each other in private jets. The rest of us will have to be content with shouting at the television and our barroom brawls.
Ernie played rugby and is a big guy.
Who I haven't met was Steve Marino - until recently.
The puzzle pieces are now complete, so here is the story.
Don’t **** with him (Are those asterisks allowed moderators?)
I’ve always liked The Big Easy.
Well, sure glad we cleared that up. Kinda disappointed it wasn’t Dan.
Els is big but not huge. I’m 6’3” and he isn’t as tall as me. I’ve stood right next to him at Bay Hill. But whatever...
“...and Els strokes him...”
I hope this means something else in “non American” English...
You know who they said was muscular, Tiger Woods.
He walked right next to me on the 16th tee at Sawgrass.
I was a couple inches taller, and quite a bit more muscular.
At the time I was 6’2” 205 lbs.
I’m 6 3” (230lbs)
I shook hands with the guy and I felt like I was kid shaking hands with an adult… his hand was twice the size of mine. Big dude!
What’s wrong with “don’t mess with him?”
What’s wrong with “Now we fight!”?
Agree. I’m 6’ 1” and he is a big guy. You’re correct about his hands as well. Big guy who likes his Greenies foshore...
“No matter how tough you are, there’s always somebody who’ll steal your lunch and pop your bag.” Unky Harry
WWII Marine, taught us boys how to hold our own... somewhat.
As with Elon Musk, this will all be connected to El’s South African background.
Millennial dickhead.
Who? Marino? Ernie is 52 years old.
Early in his career Tiger was very slim when I stood next to him. Almost wispy. He bulked up quite a bit over the years like most people. But still in great shape.
Gotcha. Never shook hands with Els.
I don’t recall the exact year, but I think around 2006 or so.
He was in good shape, but not what I would call “muscular”
I worked out at meathead gyms where dudes were taking Vitamin S…
I was around my natural peak at the time.
Woods was in better shape than probably every golfer.
I think then was peak Michelson man boob time…
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