MONDAY, 8.30AM:
ERNIE ELS won the US Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda Maryland on Sunday, showing his true class as he wore away his opponents in a terrible war of attrition.
“It is always a war on the golf course, and this time I won,” said Els. “It was great competition out there today. It was really tough. I’m unbelievably delighted.” The 27-year-old SA golfer, who won the 1994 Open in a three-way playoff at Oakmont, survived the test with a one-under 69 for a winning total of four-under 276 on the longest course to stage a US Open.
Els, Colin Montgomerie, Tom Lehman and Jeff Maggert, fought tooth and nail to gain control of the tournament, which saw four-way ties for the lead at three points in the final 18. But eventually Els’s consistency saw off his rivals one by one, as he hit five nerve-wracking pars in a row.
LEADERBOARD Name Score Hole
1. Ernie Els -4 F
2. Colin Montgomerie -3 F
3. Tom Lehman -2 F
4. Jeff Maggert +1 F