Watch: Ernie Els won a four man play-off to capture his first Claret Jug at Muirfield in 2002. he would go on to win again in 2012
Ten years without adding to his three major titles were ended spectacularly at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012 when Ernie Els became Champion Golfer for the second time at the age of 42.
After a back-nine 32, completed with a 15-foot birdie putt, Els won when Adam Scott, four strokes ahead with four holes to play, bogeyed them all.
His previous Open victory was in 2002 at Muirfield, where the South African was taken to a fifth extra hole by Thomas Levet in a play-off that initially also involved Stuart Appleby and Steve Elkington.
He has also been a runner-up for the Claret Jug on three occasions - in 1996, 2000 and then again in 2004 when he lost a play-off to Todd Hamilton.
Over 70 worldwide victories also include the US Open twice, the first achieved when he was only 24 and the second in 1997 helping him reach the world No.1 spot.
There have been two World Golf Championships wins as well and a record seven World Match Play titles at Wentworth, while he was leading money-winner on the European Tour in 2003 and 2004.
Among his 35 top-ten finishes in majors are two second places in the Masters and another at the US Open.