* Scott throws away four-shot lead
* Last-hole birdie earns Els title
* Woods slumps after triple bogey
By Tony Jimenez
LYTHAM ST ANNES, England, July 22 (Reuters) – South African
Ernie Els won the British Open by one stroke from Adam Scott on
Sunday after the Australian suffered an extraordinary late
collapse on an incident-packed final day.
World number 13 Scott, chasing his first major championship,
started the last round with a four-shot lead and seemed to be
cruising to victory as he maintained that cushion with six holes
to play.
But a late attack of the jitters caused him to drop strokes
at each of the last four holes, allowing Els to slip in through
the back door and lift the Claret Jug with a two-under-par 68
and a seven-under total of 273.
“It is amazing. I’m still numb. It still hasn’t sunk in
yet,” Els told reporters after adding to his previous major
victories in the 1994 and 1997 U.S. Opens and 2002 British Open.
“I feel for Adam, he’s a good friend of mine. I was just
hoping at best to get into a playoff when I was on 17, then I
birdied the 18th and heard what happened to Adam,” added Els
whose victory extended to 16 the streak of different major
winners.
Continued…
