49 days until golf: Ernie Els' incredible PGA Tour career earnings

The PGA Tour plans to restart its season June 11 after halting due to the coronavirus pandemic. Each day until then, we'll highlight key moments, people, or facts relating to where we are in the countdown.

Ernie Els emerged on the PGA Tour scene after winning the 1994 U.S. Open for his first victory in North America. Back then, the 25-year-old only claimed a measly $320,000 (by today's standards) for his first major title.

As history shows, the South African went on to become one of golf's greats. He amassed 71 worldwide victories, four major championships, and a whopping $49 million in career earnings on the PGA Tour, which is good for No. 11 on the all-time list.

You could argue Els' career winnings were both helped and hindered by the presence of Tiger Woods. PGA Tour purses skyrocketed after Tiger's Masters win in 1997, which Els, along with the rest of the PGA Tour, cashed in on. However, Els was also a runner-up to Woods seven times in his career with four of those coming in major championships.

Here's a look at the prize Els took home for each of his major wins.

1994 U.S. Open - $320,000
1997 U.S. Open - $465,000
2002 Open Championship - $1.1 million
2012 Open Championship - $1.4 million

Assuming he doesn't win again, Els' first and last PGA Tour victories will be major championships. Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino are two others who have bookended their careers with majors while winning at least 15 PGA Tour events.

Before signing off on Els' remarkable career, take a minute to enjoy the silky swing of the man fittingly nicknamed "The Big Easy."