Easy for Els as leader crumbles

ERNIE ELS admitted victory in the Dunhill Championship was “like a dream come true” after winning only his second event back after four months out with a knee injury.

The world number five won the event for the third time after benefiting from overnight leader Ulrich van den Berg’s disastrous collapse on the back nine.

Els, 36, had an operation on his left knee in the summer after a water sport accident in July and was advised to rest this week after playing in the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

He began the day two off the lead but carded a four-under-par 68 to finish 14 under and win by three from fellow South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and last year’s champion Charl Schwartzel.

Van den Berg, playing alongside the three-time major winner, led by three at the turn but came home in 44 to throw away his chance of a maiden victory on the European Tour as Els used his experience to the full.

“A week ago I would have been happy just to have broken 80 because of my knee,” said Els, who is a member of the Leopard Creek Country Club and has a house on the estate.

“I felt I played consistently well this week, especially today, and I never really played any risky shots.

“To win so soon after coming back to tournament golf is like a dream come true.”

Els was typically gracious in victory, adding: “I feel for Ulrich. He had a great round going there and he just fell short at the end. But he is a hell of a player and a good gentleman.”

Van den Berg had four birdies in his opening six holes compared to his playing partner’s three to extend his lead.

When Els bogeyed the short seventh the gap was four but van den Berg gave one back at the 476-yard ninth.

That was just the beginning of his problems, however, as he had a triple-bogey seven at the short par-four 11th after finding trouble off the tee, taking a penalty drop and then hitting his approach into a bunker before three-putting.

That was followed by another dropped shot at the 192-yard next and Els seized his opportunity.

He birdied the 13th and 15th, both par fives, to go two ahead at 14 under and a van den Berg double-bogey - after going in water at the par-three 16th - virtually sealed the issue.

To compound matters van den Berg three-putted the 17th to put Els on easy street heading down the last.

Van den Berg eventually finished six shots back on eight under after a three-over round of 75, which was still good enough for a share of third with compatriot Bobby Lincoln and England’s David Lynn - the leading non-South African.

The English golfer, who had to cope with numb fingers after being stung by a scorpion on Friday night, shot a closing 68 which included six birdies and two bogeys, to leap up the leaderboard from joint 20th overnight.

* England’s Miles Tunnicliff survived a tension-filled climax to retain his Mauritius Open title at the Belle Mare Plage Legend.

Tunnicliff held a two-stroke lead going into the third and final round and despite opening with a bogey he increased his advantage to three shots by the turn.

But a sudden heavy downpour disturbed the 37-year-old’s composure and four bogeys in seven holes allowed Portugal’s Jose-Filipe Lima to close to within a stroke.