The story heading into the 2002 Open Championship was unquestionably whether Tiger Woods could move another giant step towards a historic Grand Slam having already won The Masters and the US Open earlier in the year.
Tiger Woods had become the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1972 to win both of the first two majors of the year. Remarkably, that meant that The Open Championship was the only major Woods had not already won at least twice – little more than five years after his triumph at the 1997 Masters.
The omens were not great for Woods. Muirfield was set to host the third major of the year, and that had been the site where Nicklaus’ run had ended 30 years earlier.
Nevertheless, there were ominous signs for all of Woods’ rivals as he reached the halfway stage inside the top 10 and just two shots back of the five players tied for the lead.
History made as Ernie Els goes on to win The Open Championship in 2002
History would be made at the 2002 Open Championship – but it would not be Woods who made it on the east coast of Scotland.
His hopes of lifting the Claret Jug for a second time were dashed when he posted an 81 in difficult conditions in the third round.
Interestingly, the number of players in the lead went from five to one with 18 holes to play. A 72 from Ernie Els gave the South African a two-shot advantage over the chasing pack.
Els, so often the man who pushed Woods closer than anyone else, was looking to win his third major title after clinching the US Open in both 1994 and 1997.
He would indeed get across the line. However, he would not make it easy on himself.
A final round of 70 would leave Els on six under par for the tournament. The Big Easy had got to eight under par at one stage, but a double bogey on the 16th meant that he was scrambling just to make the playoff.
Joining him in that playoff was Thomas Levet, Steve Elkington and Stuart Appleby. Only Elkington had experience of winning a major.
It was the first and only time four players have been involved in a playoff to win a major.
How Ernie Els overcame a playoff with three other players to win his first Claret Jug
Remarkably, it was the two Australians who were knocked out of the running after the four-hole playoff as they both finished at one over par. Els and Levet – the Frenchman who had only played in four majors before that week – were tied at even par after the latter had made a bogey on the fourth extra hole.
The sudden-death playoff would be brief, with Els making a five foot putt to save par on the first additional hole and win the Claret Jug.
Els would actually finish second, third and fourth at The Open in the five years after his victory. But he would win a second title a decade after his first as he was able to capitalise on Adam Scott’s nightmare finish at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
Els would also prove to be the last player to win a fourth major title at The Open Championship until earlier this month when Scottie Scheffler stole the show at Royal Portrush.