Ernie Els said he was devastated after being informed of the passing of sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout on Friday.
The 62-year old Belgian worked with many high-profile golfers throughout his career as a "mind coach", with notable champions like Els and fellow South African Retief Goosen topping the list of players who he helped achieve greater heights.
Goosen had Vanstiphout to thank for his US Open victory in 2001, when he beat Mark Brooks in an 18-hole play-off having three-putted from 12 feet on the final green in regulation.
Els, however, was his most famous pupil and he lauded the mentor for the contribution he made to his career.
The Big Easy credited Vanstiphout for helping him win his first Open Championship crown in 2002 and said that their relationship was based on honesty.
"It's really devastating for me," Els said.
"He meant so much to my career. We really connected and there was a genuine love for each other there."
While admitting that there were times when they did not see eye to eye, Els described Vanstiphout's approach as unique.
"He gave me the absolute honest truth at exactly the times when I really needed it," said Els.
"The biggest one was obviously Muirfield in 2002 and he took me to one side and was just all over me.
"He just told me to pull my finger out of my backside in no uncertain terms and told me to do what he had trained me to do.
"He taught me to think in a certain way and was so good for me. He really helped me win that Open, no question. We probably won 25 tournaments together in a short period.
"I will never forget the time I shot 60 at Royal Melbourne. I walked on to the range and he is all over me again. I said 'what?' and he looked at me and he said 'you know and I know that you should have shot 58'!
"That was the way he was and he knew me very well and was one of the only people who could say that to me.
"He didn't have the education but he understood the psychology of how things worked and he gave that to me.
"I will be forever grateful to him for that. He changed my life and I am really going to miss him. I know you shouldn't have regrets but I regret not seeing him before he left us."
Vanstiphout's health deteriorated after he broke his hip in a fall from a ladder two years ago, and he had recently been struggling with breathing difficulties.
He is believed to have suffered a heart attack on Friday.
"It's really tough. I was hoping that he would have pulled through but he had gone downhill since the accident," added Els.
"Hopefully he is in a good place right now because he was a fighter. He had a lot of bravado but deep down he was a genuine, genuine man."
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