Claude Harmon, swing coach to Els, questioned why the decision had been made now despite belly putters being around for many years.
It was only last summer when Scott threw away the British Open by making bogey on his last four holes to lose by one shot to Ernie Els.
Aiming to stop Els joining that group will be Australians Greg Norman and Adam Scott, with Colin Montgomerie also playing following his second place at the Caltex Masters in Singapore last week.
BBC: SPORT | Golf | European Tour | Els goes for four successive wins
It called on the Executive, the health and social care trusts and education bodies to provide the necessary investment for delivering ELS to every school, community and workplace.
Since then the American superstar has only briefly ceded the number one position in 2004 and 2005 to Vijay Singh and Ernie Els and in 1999 to David Duval.
He held his nerve against Els to claim his first PGA title at the 164th attempt.
Oosthuizen is eternally grateful to the foundation, which was set up by Els in 1999 to help nurture South Africa's next generation of star golfers.
In winning, Immelman emulated compatriots Gary Player, the last man to defend the title, and Ernie Els, who was the last man to defend a title on the European Tour.
The two had been paired together for the third round, and while Woods shot an accomplished 66, Els struggled to a 72.
Scotland's Montgomerie, runner-up to Ogilvy last year, lost out to South African Ernie Els the last time the US Open was held at Oakmont in 1994.
BBC: Ramsay, 23, won the US Amateur at Hazeltine last August
Els had to save par from a bunker on the 17th, then pitched back to the fairway on the 18th after driving into the trees and hit a wedge from 51 yards that stopped inches away for a tap-in par.
South African Ernie Els, looking to and become the first player to win the tournament twice, carded a three-under-par 69.
Sergio Garcia gets the afternoon session under way with the tournament's first birdie of the week at the par-four first, reducing Els' lead to two.
Els is failing to reproduce the superb golf he played in the opening 14 holes and is forced to settle for his sixth par in a row.
The issue of the use of long-handled belly putters was drawn into sharp focus by the success of golfers such as American Keegan Bradley, the first to win a major using the technique, and veteran South African Ernie Els, who claimed the British Open last year after switching to the method.
CNN: Golf's major tours split over proposed belly putter ban
Although Garcia plays his remaining shots magnificently, Els' chipped third shot to within six inches of the hole is enough for par and the win.
The American birdied at 18 despite twice finding the rough to edge out South African veteran Ernie Els, who charged into the clubhouse lead with a course-record-equaling nine-under-par 63 even though he bogeyed his final hole.
"I feel kind of sad beating Colin in the first round, " said Els, who is planning to go to Paris on Sunday for the Rugby World Cup semi-final between South Africa and Argentina which kicks off at 2000 BST.
Els recovers from a bad start to make par and halve the hole.
Els has called for metal detectors to be introduced at tournaments to prevent players being disturbed by mobile phones.
Els now has just two tournaments to qualify for the year's first major.
His win moved him into the top 20, while Els' consolation was a rise to 40th which should be enough to qualify for the U.S. Open in June.
South African Ernie Els added a round of 68 to his earlier 69 to leave him tied with 11 other players, including Fijian Vijay Singh, on three under.
The Dutch Health Minister, Els Borst, said the decision to allow Women on Waves to give out the abortion pill was in line with government policy regarding the sexual independence of women.
Garcia wins his second successive hole when Els misses a four-foot putt to register a bogey five.
The Spaniard trails Els by three with just six holes to play.
Woods' much vaunted head-to-head clash with world number two Ernie Els was a massive disappointment, with the South African finishing 19 shots behind the winner.
Two-time US Open champion Els fired a one-over 73 to end on two over, while the world's to two players, Woods and Mickelson, could not emulate their rounds of 66 in previous days and ended with 75 and 73 respectively for three over.
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