Ernie to miss the Open

PORTRUSH: TWO-TIME CHAMP ENDS HIS RUN OF 32 STRAIGHT APPEARANCES

- Jacques van der Westhuyzen

Two-time champion Ernie Els has withdrawn from this week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush, which tees off on Thursday. Golf fans will be disappointed to not see Els in action at the year's final Major.

Els has one of the best records at the Open, a tournament he won in 2002 and 2012. By not playing the Open this week, the 55-year-old Els will end a run of 32 straight appearances at the tournament, and 33 appearances in total.

He played his first Open in 1989 at Royal Troon, and then from 1992—his next Open when he finished in a tie for fifth at Muirfield—didn't miss an Open until now. The tournament wasn't held in 2020 due to Covid.

Els has two wins, three runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes in his Open career. In total, he has nine top-five finishes.