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Els` triumph at 2002 British Open was against all odds
London, July 10: Ernie Els emerged from a dramatic final round of fluctuating fortunes to win the 2002 British Open at Muirfield after a four-way playoff. The big South African finally saw off the brave challenge of unheralded Frenchman Thomas Levet by holing a five-foot par putt at the fifth extra hole.
London, July 10: Ernie Els emerged from a dramatic final round of fluctuating fortunes to win the 2002 British Open at Muirfield after a four-way playoff. The big South African finally saw off the brave challenge of unheralded Frenchman Thomas Levet by holing a five-foot par putt at the fifth extra hole.
Levet's drive ended in a fairway bunker and Els found sand with his second shot but then produced a spectacular pitch and saved his par while the Frenchman had to settle for bogey.
"It's been one of the hardest tournaments I have ever played this week but it's also been one of the most rewarding," said Els at the time. "I've been going hard at this one for some time and if I didn't get it this year I would never have made it."
It had looked at one stage as if Els was going to win his first British Open, at the 11th attempt, quite easily. He survived the driving wind and rain of Saturday's third round unscathed as many of his major rivals, including world number one Tiger Woods, fell by the wayside.
Woods slumped to a 10-over-par 81, the worst score of his professional career, while Els calmly shot a 72 to go into the final round two strokes clear of the field. He extended his lead after 12 holes on the Sunday but a double-bogey at the short 16th left him needing a birdie at the par-five 17th to join Levet and Australians Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington in the playoff.
Saturday's atrocious conditions had scuppered the hopes of many of the world's leading players. David Toms, the former U.S. PGA champion who led the tournament after a first-round 67, posted an 81, and Briton Colin Montgomerie, who fired a course-record 64 in the second round, slumped to an 84.
Els laid the foundations for his victory with a sparkling 66 on the Friday, a score matched by Levet, while Australians Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington made their moves in the calmer conditions of Saturday morning.
Appleby fired a 70 and Elkington a 68 to climb the leaderboard and the two Australians carried their form into the final round where they shot 65 and 66 respectively to get into the third playoff in the past five Opens.
Both came to grief with bogeys at the fourth playoff hole, however, leaving Els, the U.S. Open champion in 1994 and 1997, and Levet to play out the final drama.
"I didn't come into the tournament with a lot of confidence but will leave as Open champion -- it's been a phenomenal championship and a little journey for me," said Els. "I hung in mentally, physically and my game stood up. I just grinded it out."
Bureau Report
Levet's drive ended in a fairway bunker and Els found sand with his second shot but then produced a spectacular pitch and saved his par while the Frenchman had to settle for bogey.
"It's been one of the hardest tournaments I have ever played this week but it's also been one of the most rewarding," said Els at the time. "I've been going hard at this one for some time and if I didn't get it this year I would never have made it."
It had looked at one stage as if Els was going to win his first British Open, at the 11th attempt, quite easily. He survived the driving wind and rain of Saturday's third round unscathed as many of his major rivals, including world number one Tiger Woods, fell by the wayside.
Woods slumped to a 10-over-par 81, the worst score of his professional career, while Els calmly shot a 72 to go into the final round two strokes clear of the field. He extended his lead after 12 holes on the Sunday but a double-bogey at the short 16th left him needing a birdie at the par-five 17th to join Levet and Australians Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington in the playoff.
Saturday's atrocious conditions had scuppered the hopes of many of the world's leading players. David Toms, the former U.S. PGA champion who led the tournament after a first-round 67, posted an 81, and Briton Colin Montgomerie, who fired a course-record 64 in the second round, slumped to an 84.
Els laid the foundations for his victory with a sparkling 66 on the Friday, a score matched by Levet, while Australians Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington made their moves in the calmer conditions of Saturday morning.
Appleby fired a 70 and Elkington a 68 to climb the leaderboard and the two Australians carried their form into the final round where they shot 65 and 66 respectively to get into the third playoff in the past five Opens.
Both came to grief with bogeys at the fourth playoff hole, however, leaving Els, the U.S. Open champion in 1994 and 1997, and Levet to play out the final drama.
"I didn't come into the tournament with a lot of confidence but will leave as Open champion -- it's been a phenomenal championship and a little journey for me," said Els. "I hung in mentally, physically and my game stood up. I just grinded it out."
Bureau Report