2012 Ernie Els Wins The Open At Royal Lytham & St Annes

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By Golf Histories

Ernie Els never led The 141st Open until the moment he won it. At a course where the South African felt he had let victories slip away in both 1996 and 2001, he closed superbly with a 68 that included an inward half of only 32 strokes.

At the 18th he received a grand ovation as was fitting a former Champion and then an even bigger one when he rolled in a 15-footer for his fourth birdie since the turn.

He had not won a tournament for almost two years and in April had failed to qualify for the Masters but, with the help of an eye specialist, his game, and especially his putting, was coming around.