Ernie Els won last year's British Open using a belly putter and he is giving himself one more opportunity to win a major with the long stick.

Els plans on retiring the belly putter after the Masters to get ready for the proposed ban on anchored putting, according to the Irish Times.

“I just wanted to play (with the belly putter) since it was my last competitive round before the Masters. Mentally, I was going to do the long putter at the Masters. I wanted to feel what it is like under a little bit of pressure."

The four-time major winner used a short putter during the first three rounds of the Chiangmai Golf Classic in Thailand last weekend, but switched back to the belly putter for Sunday.

Els currently ranks 129th on Tour in total putting and has struggled so far this season. His best finish in 2013 is a tie for 13th in February.

In advance of the proposed ban on belly putters, Ernie Els is playing with a short putter at the Chiangmai Golf Classic in Thailand this week.

But according to SkySports, the Big Easy will be back to using an anchored putter when the Masters kicks off a week from Monday. 

"Even if I won here this week, I will use the belly putter at the Masters simply because the greens are so quick over there. But after the Masters, I'll try to use the short putter more regularly."

Els, currently No. 24 in the world rankings, won the 2012 British Open after switching to a longer putter. But he missed the Masters last year after 18 straight appearances at Augusta.  

In November, the USGA and R&A announced a proposal to outlaw the method of hooking clubs to the body. The European PGA has since voiced support for the ban, which would go into effect in 2016, while the PGA Tour and PGA of America oppose it. Arnold Palmer said last week that he supports the prohibition, saying "we do not need a contraption to play the game of golf."  

Photo: Els using the short putter at the Qatar Masters in January (Getty Images).

Adam Scott joined Ernie Els for a practice round at the course last Tuesday and pronounced the course "perfect" during a press conference at last week's Tampa Bay Championship.

"I thought it was in the best shape I've ever seen it this early in the year," Scott said. "They must have had some nice warm days and cool nights, and a lot of grass seems to be growing. Sometimes it can be a little thin early on, but it looks great. It's Augusta. It's pretty much perfect."

When asked if his internal clock for winning a major is becoming more of a factor as he prepares for the Masters, Scott said he only recently feels like he is coming into his own.

"I think it's the other way for me," Scott said. "I think it was a long time, I didn't really look like I was a major contender, and now I feel like I am. So I feel like now's my time, it's up to me to make it happen.  Everyone's path to that success is different. I mean, Mickelson knocked on the door for years and years and then the floodgates opened for him. I've gotten my game to a point where I feel like I'm right there. Hopefully I can get the first one and then we'll see. Everyone's path to getting there is different. So I'm just trying to do what I believe is best and hopefully the first one comes soon and more to follow."

Scott's playing partner during his practice round at Augusta was also the beneficiary of Scott's collapse in last year's British Open. Els claimed his fourth major after Scott shot a 75 on Sunday after leading or within one stroke of the lead for the previous three rounds. But the two professionals haven't let that event affect their friendship.

"I think I was happy overall, very happy for Ernie," Scott said. "I think he's an incredible talent and he's one of the best players I've of seen on a golf course. I've played so much golf with him and seen him do such incredible things.  I think he could have won ten majors. So paid his dues, and whether he won it or I helped him win it a little bit; it doesn't matter, he won it.  Probably eased the pain a little bit that he was a closer friend of minute here, and I could feel some happiness for him."

Scott's best finish at Augusta was a second-place showing in 2011 after posting a final-round 67 on a wild Sunday that saw eight different players claim a share of the lead. The first round of the 2013 Masters is April 11.

Photo: Adam Scott at the 2012 Masters (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

And you thought the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral had star power.

According to Golf World's Tim Rosaforte, Michael Jordan has asked Rory McIlroy to be his partner at the member-guest event Friday at Medalist Golf Club in Hobe Sound, Fla., where they'll be playing against Medalist member Tiger Woods and Ahmad Rashad.

It turns out that Jordan has become a valued mentor to PGA Tour pros who live in the Palm Beach, Fla. area, including Ernie Els, Keegan Bradley and Luke Donald. Jordan doesn't give advice about the proper arm slot on their takeaway or the right launch angle for their driver, but he helps his Tour player pals with the mental aspect of the sport.

"I'm not a golf coach, never will be, won't try to be," Jordan said.

Rosaforte shares several Jordan-esque stories like MJ jabbing Bradley over the amount of shots Bradley gives him during a round compared to Donald. Why does he get six from Donald and only five from Bradley? Because Donald's in the top 10, and Bradley isn't. Other anecdotes include Els working on a putting drill when Jordan bets him $100 he misses, and Donald talking about how Jordan has helped him become a tougher player.

"As friends we talk about things," Jordan said about the tour pros in his inner circle. "But I'm not looking for credit. I'm looking to help you out, wanting to make you the best you can be from a sports standpoint."

1. “I think obviously golf is great. We haven't really had anything going on. So we'll see, we started testing, what was it, 2008 I think, and nothing has really come around.”

--Sergio Garcia on performance enhancing drugs in golf

2.“Don't tell anybody, but we would jump the fence
and get in.”

--Brandt Jobe on watching Fred Couples win the LA Open at Riviera when he was at UCLA

3. “There's no data that really confirms that they have to ban it."

--Ernie Els on the USGA and R&A’s proposed ban on anchored putting

4. “If I'm playing well, I can walk around this course and feel like I'm going to shoot par or very close to it every single time.”

--Fred Couples on playing at Riviera, where he’s won twice

5. “I usually give him six a side and that's usually not enough for him.”

--Luke Donald on playing golf with Michael Jordan 

6. "I believe there's a wisdom within The Old Course that goes beyond what anyone today understands about golf course architecture."

--Golf-course architect Tom Doak on the R&A’s changes to the Old Course

7. “There are guys in there that it's a joke. It takes integrity away from the term 'Hall of Fame.' I'm very upset at the Hall of Fame.”

--Raymond Floyd to Golf Magazine after announcement that Fred Couples and Colin Montgomerie would be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame

8. "The President said to Tiger: `The last tournament you played was fun to watch. It's good to see you play well again.' You could tell he meant it. It just wasn't a throw it out compliment."

--Butch Harmon on watching President Obama and Tiger Woods play golf together

9. “To be that good, that young, and that composed at that age is just incredible."

--Caddie Stevie Williams on fellow New Zealander Lydia Ko

10. “Thursday and Friday for me suck. I think they are boring. I don't enjoy them. Saturday and Sunday, that's what we wheel and deal.”

--Charlie Beljan on being in the hunt at Riviera on Sunday

1. “I’m going to have to stick a knife in my heart at the end of this.”

Jim Furyk, discussing his painful losses in 2012 in the February issue of Golf Magazine

2. “Tiger Woods demands $3 million just for an appearance, if he were to compete in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters -- which is not worth paying for a tournament of $2.5 million prize money.”

Hassan al Nuaimi, president of the Qatar Golf Association

3. "That's a ten-stroke f---ing penalty, and if you ever do it again I'll do the same to you!"

Keith Richards, after shooting a golf ball that landed in his breakfast, according to a new book by Stones saxophone player Bobby Keys

4."I'll still be playing competitive golf
when I'm 70."

Padraig Harrington, at the Volvo Champions in South Africa

5. “They should put a plaque down. I was coming from a different ZIP code. And I’ve got to compete against these animals!”

Ernie Els, after playing partner Nicolas Colsaerts hit a 419-yard drive at the Volvo Champions in South Africa

6. “The guy is like a God over there
in Scotland.”

Steve Marino, on playing with Tom Watson in the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry

7. “I will always appreciate the loyal and generous support of our faithful sponsors, volunteers, fans, media and LPGA golf professionals and I extend a special thanks to all of them.”

Actor Jamie Farr, on stepping down as host of the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic LPGA Tour event after 28 years

8. "I've never canvassed, as I didn't last time. I've not spoken to anybody about this. But I've always felt that if I was asked I would do it and that's still the case."

Colin Montgomerie, on his interest in being captain of the 2014 European Ryder Cup team

9. "He's in my ear the whole way,
telling me I suck, telling me I'm going to choke."

Keegan Bradley, on beating Michael Jordan at golf

10. “From an image standpoint, I like the way Rory handles himself off the golf course.”

PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, on Rory McIlroy’s breakout season in 2012

According to a report by Australian Golf Digest, the absences of Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els from the Australian Open are both a matter of appearance fees.

Tournament promoters believed they had an "arrangement" with the Northern Irishman’s management for the 23-year-old to play the Australian Open in December.

But once the final putt was holed at Kiawah Island, the asking price for the new world No. 1 had escalated dramatically.

His appearance fee was about $1 million prior to the US PGA, upon winning a second, but major McIlroy’s asking price was twice that amount.

And that put him out of reach for Australian Open promoters.

It was another slap in the face following negotiations with Ernie Els, whose bounty rose after he won this year’s British Open.

Amongst the 156-player field are World No. 4 Justin Rose, Adam Scott, eight-time major winner Tom Watson, and 14-year-old amateurs Tianlang Guan and Andy Zhang.

Each week, 13 staffers from SI Golf+, Golf Magazine and GOLF.com  vote for  their top 10, awarding 10 points to their first choice and proceeding in descending order to the 10th player, who gets one point. The points are then added and the ranking calculated. This ranking aims to be an of-the-moment measure of who’s playing the best right now. Tell us your top 10 in the comments field below.

RANK (TOTAL VOTES, FIRST PLACE VOTES, LAST WEEK'S RANK)

1. Rory McIlroy (129, 12, 1) - Last three finishes: 1, PGA Championship; T5, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; T60, British Open
-Official World Golf Ranking: 1

2. Tiger Woods (103, 1, 2) - Last three finishes: T11, PGA Championship; T8, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; T3, British Open
- Official World Golf Ranking: 3

3. Keegan Bradley (74, 0, 3) - Last three finishes: T3, PGA Championship; 1, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; T34, British Open
- Official World Golf Ranking: 12

4. Jason Dufner (72, 0, 5) - Last three finishes: T7, Wyndham Championship; T27, PGA Championship; 7, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
- Official World Golf Ranking: 9

5. Ernie Els (68, 0, 4) - Last three finishes: T48, PGA Championship; T45, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; MC, RBC Canadian Open
- Official World Golf Ranking: 18

6. Graeme McDowell (55, 0, 6) - Last three finishes: T11, PGA Championship; T24, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; T5, British Open
- Official World Golf Ranking: 13

7. Webb Simpson (47, 0, 8) - Last three finishes: T22, Wyndham Championship; MC, PGA Championship; T7, The Greenbrier Classic
- Official World Golf Ranking: 5

8. Adam Scott (44, 0, 7) - Last three finishes: T11, PGA Championship; T45, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; 2, British Open
- Official World Golf Ranking: 6

9. Luke Donald (27, 0, NR) - Last three finishes: T32, PGA Championship; T8, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; T5, British Open
- Official World Golf Ranking: 2

10. Bubba Watson (24, 0, 10) - Last three finishes: T11, PGA Championship; T19, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; T23, British Open
- Official World Golf Ranking: 7

Others receiving votes:
Zach Johnson (23)
Sergio Garcia (11)
Justin Rose (11)
Steve Stricker (10)
Lee Westwood (9)
Matt Kuchar (2)
Louis Oosthuizen (2)
Ian Poulter (2)
Jim Furyk (1)