• The Open, Round Four

Els takes Open title after Scott collapse

Ernie Els drained a long birdie putt at 18 for his 68 © Getty Images

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The Open 2012: final standings

Ernie Els claimed a second Open title following a dramatic late collapse from long-time leader Adam Scott on Sunday.

Els, 42, stepped through the open door after Scott, who was looking for his first major, dropped shots at each of the last four holes.

Scott missed a six-foot putt to force a play-off at 18, handing Els his first Claret Jug since 2002 - and his fourth major overall.

South Africa's Els was the only man in the chasing pack to put Scott under real pressure on Sunday - and he got his reward. Els was six behind at the start of the day, before a 68 in testing, blustery conditions forced him into contention.

He finished at seven-under, one ahead of Scott and four in front of Brandt Snedeker and Tiger Woods, who tied for third.

After a jittery start from overnight leader Scott - bogeys at three of the first six holes - he looked nerveless across the mid-section of his round, and a birdie at 14 appeared to give him one hand on the trophy. However, his implosion across the final minutes loosened his grip decisively. Having carried a four-shot cushion into Sunday, he closed with a 75 that featured only two birdies.

The crowning moment of Els' triumphant round was a 12-footer for birdie at 18 - one of four strokes he picked up on the back nine, having seemingly blown his chances by playing the front nine in two-over.

Els, the world No. 40, was without a PGA or European Tour win since 2010 - and, despite a fine Open record, he missed the cut in both 2010 and 2011.

Woods, five behind after three rounds, saw his hopes of major No. 15 evaporate at the sixth hole when he ran up a triple-bogey after two shots in a bunker, and then a three-putt. He had started steadily, with five straight pars, but following the nightmare at the sixth he was seven shots behind - and there was no way back from there.

Graeme McDowell, playing with Scott in the final group, stayed within touching distance of the lead for a spell - only to throw it away with a run of three consecutive bogeys between holes nine and 11, where his round reached a nadir when he smacked a routine approach shot straight into the trees, losing his ball. He had a 75 and finished two-under, in a tie for fifth with world No. 1 Luke Donald.

Rory McIlroy's miserable tournament ended with him eight-over following a 73, while Lee Westwood's 72 left him two shots better off than the Ulsterman.

Ian Poulter handed in a 67 to finish a creditable level-par; Padraig Harrington (73) wound up five-over.

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