Els Wins British Open
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Third-round leader Adam Scott bogeyed his final four holes, opening the door for Ernie Els to win his fourth major championship – and first since the 2002 British Open. Els, who began the day six strokes behind Scott, posted a 4- under 32 on the closing nine, including a birdie on the par-4 18th hole, to card a final-round 2-under 68 and one- stroke victory over Scott (75).
Els, at the age of 42 years, 9 months and 5 days, wins for the 19th time on the PGA TOUR in his 335th start. Is the second-consecutive 42-year-old to win the event (Darren Clarke/2011). Els owns multiple wins at the British Open (2002, 2012) and the U.S. Open (1994, 1997), just the sixth player to perform the feat (Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Lee Trevino, Els).
Els becomes the 16th different winner in the last 16 major championships. The last time 16 consecutive major championships were won by 16 different players was 1984-1987, starting at the 1984 Masters Tournament and ending with the 1987 PGA Championship. This win snaps a streak of three-consecutive wins by Americans in majors.
Enshrined into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011, Els becomes the first male Hall of Fame member to win a major after being inducted since Lee Trevino was inducted in 1981 and later won the 1984 PGA Championship. The only other players to win a major after being inducted are Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
Els extends his exemption on the PGA TOUR through 2017 and earns a five-year
exemption to the Masters, U.S. Open, PGA Championship and PLAYERS Championship, if not otherwise exempt. He collects 600 points and is projected to move from No. 33 into the top 10 in FedExCup standings (1402 points).
Adam Scott carried a four-stroke lead into the final round, but bogeyed the final four holes en route to a 5-over 75, falling by one stroke to Ernie Els. It is the second-straight year he has carded a final-round 75 at the British Open.
Three-time British Open champion and FedExCup leader Tiger Woods recorded a final-round 3-over 73 to finish T3 (best finish in a major since runner-up at 2009 PGA). This week marked his 13th major championship start since his last major win at the 2008 U.S. Open (it is the 17th major played since that victory).
Woods, who moves to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Rankings, suffered a triple bogey on the par-4 sixth hole, his first triple in a major championship since the first hole at the 2003 British Open (Royal St. George’s).
Woods was seeking his 15th major championship victory in his 65th start (59 professional, 6 amateur) in a major. His last British Open appearance led to a T23 finish in 2010.
Brandt Snedeker finished T3 in his fourth British Open, having missed the cut in his first three (2008-09, 2011). He began the week by playing his first 40 holes without a bogey, the longest bogey-free streak to start a major championship in the last 20 years.
Snedeker entered the final round trailing Adam Scott by four strokes. He was bidding for his fourth comeback victory in as many attempts on the PGA TOUR, coming back from seven strokes (2012 Farmers Insurance Open), six strokes (2011 RBC Heritage) and five strokes (2007 Wyndham Championship).
Graeme McDowell, winner of the 2010 U.S. Open, finished T5 in his attempt to become the first player since Angel Cabrera (2007 U.S. Open, 2009 Masters) to claim major championships as his first two PGA TOUR wins. Prior to that, the last person to do so was Peter Thomson, who won the British Open in 1954-55.
