About an hour ago I started to write about Adam Scott's majestic performance this week, he had a 4 shot lead over Ernie after a birdie on 14 and was in complete control....
I am now re writing..
Adam Scott 3 putted for bogey on 15 to fall to -9, then missed a 3 footer for par at 16....-8... then hit it into the thick rough just over 17 and couldn't get up and down.....-7
In the meantime Ernie, who led the field all week in GIR, just bombed a drive on 18 over all the bunkers, the farthest of the week, only 100 yards away, hit a wedge to 15 feet and made, yes finally made a putt to get to -7 and tie for the lead. He shot 68
Adam hit his drive into a fairway bunker, right up against the face, got it out and hit a 7 iron to 12 feet.. Now he needed to make to go to a playoff.. He missed left, sank to his knees....
Incredibly, Adam Scott has just lost the Open Championship after standing on the 15th tee with a 4 shot lead !!
Ernie Els wins his 2nd Open Championship, but he can certainly relate to the collapse of his close pal and President's Cup team mate..He's been 2nd three times..
In 1996 on this course he finished 2 shots behind Tom Lehman, and in 2000 he was 2nd, albeit 8 behind Tiger in his prime at St Andrews. However you may remember it was in 2004 and Royal Troon where I always remember him in tears, being consoled by his wife behind the grandstand after he lost in a playoff to the little known American, Todd Hamilton.
Ernie missed a 12 foot putt on the 72nd hole for the win and missed, to let Hamilton into the playoff with a bogey.
Then on the 4th and final playoff hole Els found the fairway and Hamilton didn’t. However, the American played a remarkable shot out of the rough with a 3-wood to chip onto the green. Els had a birdie putt opportunity from about 15 feet, but it drifted left. Hamilton was now two feet from victory and he sunk the pressure putt to become The Open Champion.
Final scoreboard click here http://scores.theopen.com/en/Leaderboard.aspx
It was a day which broke beautifully before the wind finally got up at the scores started to go down.
Tiger had a remarkable 6th after starting with 5 straight pars. His 3rd shot ended up against the face of the greenside bunker, and instead of taking an unplayable and dropping further back in the bunker. he tried to get out, didn't and had a worse lie with no stance for his next, which saw him hunkered down 3 feet above the ball beside the bunker. He hit the face again but luckily it got out, eventually making 7..
He ended up with 73, T3 at -3 with Brandt Snedeker..
Adam Scott received a favourable ruling on the 7th when his ball, just off the green moved after he had taken a couple of practice chip shots beside it. The deciding factor in the ruling was that he then walked up to the green to read the line and it was when he returned that the ball moved.
Only 8 players managed to break 70 including Luke Donald 69 who ended up T5 at -2..
On reflection after 3 days of calm weather and overnight rains left the course at the players mercy. the wind and all the fireworks arrived late on Sunday afternoon.
What a finish, I feel so sorry for Scott who was so immaculate all week, so in charge albeit a bit nervy today until that 15th hole and so happy for Ernie, who as I said, can certainly relate to Adam's collapse.
Next stop for Ernie... tonight down to Wentworth to be with his family, then on a plane on Tuesday for Hamilton and the RBC Canadian Open, where he will now be the headliner as the " 2012 Open Champion "
Bryan Angus also on twitter@mummmbles and on www.isr1050.com and on www.nextsportstar.com as the host of the Breakfast Club 7-9am M-F
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