Ernie Els wins British Open after Adam Scott collapse
New Open Champion Ernie Els of South Africa after winning the 141st Open Championship. (Getty) Credit: New Open Champion Ernie Els of South Africa after winning the 141st Open Championship. (Getty)
The famed English weather wreaked havoc on the final round of the British Open, and when the wind stopped blowing, Ernie Els was the last man standing at Royal Lytham and St. Annes after a historic collapse from Adam Scott.
Scott, who birdied the 14th hole to go up three strokes ahead with four holes to play, bogeyed holes 15 through 18 to hand the Claret Jug to Els, who had earlier birdied 18 to finish 7-under.
"It was a very sloppy finish ... and disappointing to finish that way," Scott told reporters. "I played so well all week."
Els shot a final round 68 - one of only nine players to shoot under par in the final round in the tricky winds at Royal Lytham.
"I feel for Adam Scott," Els told reporters. "He's a great friend of mine. Obviously, we both wanted to win very badly.
"It was my time for some reason," he added.
Tiger Woods, who began the day at 6-under, was undone by a triple bogey on the sixth hole, and finished in third at 3-under.
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