Golf Results - 24 July 2012

On Sunday South Africa's Ernie Els broke a long winning drought when he defied critics to win the Open Championship at Royal Lytham.

As the final round drew to a close on Sunday, Els found himself in second place to Australia's Adam Scott, who had led the tournament overnight and maintained a four-shot lead over the first 12 holes of the final round. However, a sudden loss of focus from Scott resulted in the Australian dropping four strokes in as many holes at the end of the final round, turning the tables and allowing Els to win without so much as a playoff.

As Scott battled a collapse of form on the fifteenth to eighteenth holes, Els held his nerve and managed not to give away a single shot as he carefully finished the tournament with a one stroke victory over the Australian. For Els, who last won the British Open ten years ago, Sunday's win confirms his place among the best golfers currently competing on the international circuit.

After lifting the claret jug for the second time in his career, Els paid an emotional tribute to two people who inspired his win on Sunday: his son Ben and former South African president Nelson Mandela. Els' son was diagnosed with Autism several years ago, prompting his father to take time off from professional golf and focus on his family – a decision which has won the South African the respect and affection of many fans around the world. As Nelson Mandela recently celebrated his 94th birthday, Els told reporters he was inspired by the statesman's legacy during the final round and felt the need to pay tribute to South Africa's first democratically elected president.

For Scott, who narrowly missed winning his first major on Sunday, the weeks ahead will be challenging as the Australian puts his disappointment behind him with an eye on the upcoming PGA Championship.

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