LYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND (AP) -- Ernie Els has been crowned champion of the British Open. The South African won the claret jug by shooting a final round 2-under-68 to finish 7 shots under par.
That said, for Els to win, third round leader Adam Scott had to self-destruct, and he did. Scott shot a final round 5-over-75 with a round that was marred by seven bogeys, including ones on the final four holes of play. Had he been able to shoot a par on the final hole, a playoff with Els would have been in order, but the Australian wasn't able to get the job done.
To get the win, Els had to overcome a six-shot disadvantage when the final round started.
Tiger Woods skied to a 3-over-73 in the final round to finish tied for third with Brandt Snedeker at three-under. Woods says his day pretty much ended with a triple-bogey on the sixth hole.
The win by Els is his fourth in a major and second in the British Open. His first win in the world's oldest major came at Muirfield in 2002. He also won the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1997.
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