By PA Sport staff

Ernie Els lifted the Open championship aloft and admitted: "At times I thought I would never put my hands on this."

The 32-year-old South African emerged triumphant at Muirfield not only after a four-man four-hole play-off, but also one more hole of sudden death with Frenchman Thomas Levet.

It took a spectacular bunker shot at the last to settle the issue and give Els his third major title.

His other two were United States Opens - with Colin Montgomerie second both times - but he said in his winners' speech: "This is the greatest championship in the world, played in front of the greatest crowd in the world.

"It was one of the hardest tournaments I've ever played in and it's the most rewarding.

"I truly don't know how I made the final putt (he made it five feet, but it looked less than four). I was definitely shaking.

"It feel unbelievable. It has not sunk in yet. I'm in a little bit of shock, but in a couple of hours I am going to be out of my skin."

Els had been two ahead with five to play, but bogeyed the 14th and double-bogeyed the 16th.

"After that I was almost gone mentally and I thought I had lost it," he admitted. "But thank goodness after signing my card I had some time to compose myself.

"The last couple of years I've not been good in play-offs and I didn't have a good feeling. That's why I tried to birdie the 18th.

"It would have been a very hard loss to take and you can only take so much. Some careers could have ended like this, but now I am back on track.

"Now I can try to win all four majors."

The week began, of course, with Tiger Woods still in with an opportunity of the first-ever Grand Slam of all four majors.

Asked how it felt to be the man to stop the Slam Els said: "I think the weather stopped it too." Woods collapsed to an 81, the worst score of his entire professional career, in the wind and rain of the third round.

"It definitely stopped Tiger in his tracks. I had the patience and I guess I had the staying power this time.

"It's a great feeling. But Tiger's probably going to have another opportunity to do it. I think he's the only one capable probably."

Australians Steve Elkington, who had to qualify for the event, and Stuart Appleby were the other two in the play-off and Els spared a thought for them as well as Levet, who stood where Jean van de Velde was at Carnoustie three years ago and also came up just short in his bid to be the first French winner since Arnaud Massy in 1907.

Instead Els became the first South African victor in The Open since Gary Player had his third victory at Lytham in 1974.