Scott opens door for Els

It is one of the biggest clichés in professional golf that Major championships only truly start on a Sunday at the 10th tee and Ernie Els ensured it would survive another few years after this remarkable British Open triumph.

While overnight leader Adam Scott agonisingly imploded on the back nine at Royal Lytham & St Annes yesterday evening, frittering away his four-shot lead on the final four holes, Els stood on the practice putting green behind the 18th hole grandstand munching a sandwich and listening to his telephone messages having just charged into contention by making up the same number of shots on the inward holes.

A day that should have been a coronation for the 32-year-old Australian became a renaissance for the South African 10 years his senior as Els shot a 32 on the back nine to steer him towards his fourth Major victory, and first since he first lifted the Claret Jug at Muirfield in 2002.