Els coasts to five shot victory

Ernie Els completed an ideal build-up for next week's British Open defence, clinching his second Scottish Open title by five shots on Sunday.

The world number two, five clear of the field overnight, survived a poor start and a late wobble to fire a closing two-under-par 69 at a sun-drenched Loch Lomond.

Els mixed five birdies with three bogeys to finish at 17-under 267, well ahead of Britain's Phillip Price and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, who shared second place.

Price, winner of last week's European Open in Ireland, and Clarke, who played with Els on the last day, also carded matching 69s.

Irishman Gary Murphy, with a closing 67, secured outright fourth at 10-under 274, and an automatic place in next week's British Open as one of the leading eight Scottish Open finishers not already exempt.

Australia's Peter Lonard, who aced the par-three 17th with a four-iron from 208 yards, returned a 69 to tie for fifth at nine under with Britain's Gary Evans (65) and Ian Poulter (69).

"It's a tough thing when you play in the lead from day one, and I'm happy that I finished the job off," said South African Els, whose wire-to-wire victory was his fifth of the year and the 45th of his career.

"It got close for a while out there today, but I felt I hit the ball well and kept my nerve. I made a couple of three-putts and a couple of other blemishes, but otherwise it was pretty good.

"I've been close to my best this week and I really played well the first two days when conditions were tough, when it was cold and windy and rainy."

South African Els, who defends his British Open crown at Royal St George's next week, had been rejuvenated at Loch Lomond after a fortnight's break and was expected to coast to victory on the last day.

But the 2000 Scottish Open champion, who led the tournament from the start following an opening 64, three-putted from long range at the 455-yard second hole to run up a bogey five, and slip back to 14 under.

A relaxed-looking Clarke, tied for second with Welshman Price after the third round, then birdied the par-five third to cut Els's lead to three.

However, Clarke missed a birdie chance from 10 feet at the short fifth, where the big South African had to get up and down from a greenside bunker to save his par.

But the 33-year-old Els finally picked up his first shot of the day at the 625-yard sixth, holing a 10-foot birdie putt to return to 15 under with a four-shot cushion.

Another birdie followed at the 345-yard ninth, while Clarke, who misjudged his pitch into the green, failed to hole a par-saving putt from 10 feet.

Clarke hit back with a birdie three at the 455-yard 10th, but bogeys at the next two holes effectively ended his bid.

"I just played poorly today," the Ulsterman said. "I had a few opportunities at the start to make some birdies for a dent in his (Els's) lead, but I didn't make them."

With his other rivals failing to mount a sustained challenge over the second nine, Els could afford to drop shots on 12 and 16, offsetting those with birdies on 11, where he holed out from 25 feet, and at the par-four 14th, where he drove the green.

He also birdied the 205-yard 17th and, despite finding trouble off the tee at the last, recovered on to the fairway and hit a superb approach to within two feet of the cup to salvage par.

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