Levet, Appleby & Elkington the nearly men

While Ernie Els had his hands of the claret jug, Tiger Woods was already flying home.

But unheralded Frenchman Thomas Levet and Australians Steve Elkington and Stuart Appleby got so close to winning golf's oldest championship as if to prove that Woods -- easily the best player around and both Masters and U.S. Open champion -- doesn't walk away with everything.

All three were beaten by Els in what turned out to be a two-round playoff at Muirfield.

Elkington, a former PGA Championship winner, and Appleby were eliminated in the first four-man playoff in the 131-year history of the championship and that left the surviving Levet to take on Els, a two-time U.S. Open champion in round two.

The Frenchman, taking a driver from the tee at the 18th instead of the safer option of a 2-iron, stumbled from rough to bunker on the way to a bogey five. Eventually sheer class told as Els chipped out the sand at the 18th for a par to clinch his first Open title.

``I will take second place at the Open every year,'' said Levet who has just two wins in a 14-year pro career and had made the playoff after a 5-under 66.

``I played the playoff the way I wanted. I was just not lucky on 17 and 18. On 17 I was a yard left (and landed in a bunker) and would have been on the green with two putts for a (birdie) four. On 18 I had an unplayable bunker shot. I'm two inches from carrying the bunker and getting onto the green.''

Levet said his performance at Muirfield, which has witnessed some amazing twists and turns on a daily basis, will gain him some recognition and more openings to other tournaments.

``Hopefully I can take this and go forward,'' he said. ``I'll be eligible for some more tournaments, like the U.S. PGA.''

Appleby started the final day on level par and made up five shots on overnight leader Els with a 65 while Elkington, who had to qualify for the championship, finished with a 66. He would have been a title-winning 65 if he hadn't missed a 5-foot birdie putt at 18.

He was the first to get knocked out in the playoff when his second shot to 18 rolled through the back of the green and he three-putted for bogey.

``At the start of the week I hadn't even qualified and, then to be in a playoff, I could have won the Open,'' he said. ``So it was good and it was well worth the trip. I will look back on it and say: 'Hey, in 2002 I could have won the Open at Muirfield.'

``If that putt had gone in at that 72nd hole I would have had that jug.''

Appleby's playoff ended after he landed in a greenside bunker at 18 and, chipping out for his third shot, got no further than a bank instead of the putting surface.

Perhaps he was out of playoff practice.

``The playoffs are a hit and miss sort of thing and it is a long time since I have been in one.

``So near, so far. I guess that is the perfect analogy.''

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