Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

South African Golfer Els Wins British Open

Aired July 21, 2002 - 18:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to sports, in Scotland Ernie Els held fast to his emotions today and rebounded from the kind of pressure could make any golfer a nervous wreck. CNN Sport's Patrick Snell wraps up the championship play at the British Open.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATRICK SNELL, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the end, it came down to one last crucial putt. The highly charged, sudden death shoot-out with France's Thomas Levee (ph) resulted in Ernie Els' third major. But it was one achieved the hard way, after the agony of a double bogey at 16 during his final round left four players all on six under par.

ERNIE ELS, GOLFER: From the 16th green to that tee, the 17th tee, I was probably at one of the lowest points of my whole career, you know. I mean, when I went to the 17th tee, I was trying to stay calm, I was trying to stay patient, I was trying to get good things going, but it was tough to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ernie pulled out a really magnificent bunker shot. And I mean, it's better to see that, you know, somebody pull a really good shot and make par or birdie to win the tournament. Not winning with a double bogey, you know, is just like hello.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When it came down it, it was all about getting up and down out of a bunker, and he hit a beautiful bunker shot there from a tough lie. And I couldn't be happier for the guy, I really couldn't, because he really deserves his name being on that trophy.

ELS: I was out there all the time, I couldn't afford to make a mistake. And I had to play tight golf, and that was hard to do.

SNELL: For the South African known as "The Big Easy," it's the first major in five years, adding to his U.S. Open successes in '94 and '97. It's also the realization of a dream, a title he'd been desperate to capture for so long.

ELS: I just wanted to win this tournament so badly. You know, it's hard to explain, but I gave everything, every little grain of emotion in me, I tried to win this tournament today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's played quite well in this championship before and had a chance, and it means a great deal to him, probably the most important tournament to him in the world.

ELS: Now I'm looking forward to the rest of my career again, for at least the next five years.

SNELL (on camera): At the 12th attempt, Els finally gets his hands on the famous Claret jug. Twice before, he's finished joint runner-up at the British. Now, the conqueror of Muirfield becomes the first South African to win this title since Gary Player (ph) back in 1974.

At Muirfield, Scotland, I'm Patrick Snell.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com