This was Adam Scott's Open to lose.

And it happened. It took a great finish by Ernie Els and four straight bogeys by Scott but it happened.

Els shot 32 on the back and birdied No. 18 to put some heat on Scott who was plagued by poor putting and some inopportune drives. Especially the one on No. 18 that landed in a fairway bunker.

That forced him to hit sideways out and then a missed 1o-footer after a great approach.

"I had it in my hands," said Scott.

Game On! covered the leaders during Sunday's round.

BRITISH OPEN: In progress leaderboard

ESPN is showing the tournament live.

Scott's putt to get into playoff: The 10-footer slides by left and Ernie Els is the British Open winner.

Scott on 18: His third shot is just excellent. He's given himself the opportunity as he sticks it about 10 feet from the pin.

Scott on 18: From bunker, where he is only able to hit the ball sideways. He needs a good pitch and a putt to even make the playoff.

Scott on 18: He takes fairway metal and catches the bunker and he has an awful lie. He'll probably have to pitch out. Winning the tournament is out of the realm of most scenarios. Now he has to worry about losing the tournament right here.

Scott on 18: This is a 413-yard par 4. Els birdied it to put Scott in this sticky situation. A playoff in the Open is a four-hole aggregate.

Scott on 17: His putt to keep the lead from 18 feet never scares the hole. He bogeys and he heads to No. 18 with a tie with Ernie Els.

Scott on 17: From the junk behind the green he flies one out but he's got about 18 feet for par. If he misses he is tied with Els.

Scott on 17: From the middle of the fairway he hits a terrible approach into the rough stuff in back of the green. Scott has gone from sure winner, to possible tie to possible collapse.

Els on No. 18: Whoa, we got ourselves a ball game. He makes birdie and is now -7. The ball is now in Scott's court or at least on his club face.

Scott on No. 17: This may the biggest drive of his career. He hits a beauty and you can hear the sigh of relief.

Els on No. 18: His approach is good and he's about 15 feet for birdie and cutting the lead to 1 if he makes it. The jug is still up for grabs.

Scott on No. 16: He needs this short putt for par and he misses hit. My gosh, he's not at -8 with a three-putt bogey.

Scott on No. 16: is on the green. Els will have to be a hero because Scott is getting stingy with his poor shots.

Els on No. 18: A huge need for a great drive and he pures it down the middle. He may not win but he's not going down without going hammer and tong on this course.

Scott on No. 16: Takes iron and his foot off the gas. A nice tee shot on the 336 yard par 4.

Els on No. 17: It doesn't drop and that would have been dramatic. He remains at -6 and three shots back. He has one hole left with Scott going to No. 16.

Scott on 15: Bogey and back to -9. Up to Els over on 17.

Scott on 15: He chops out of the bunker and has about 12-15 feet for par now. Els has a good look at birdie so don't give out the Claret Jug just yet. Scott has the four-shot lead for right now.

Els on No. 17: His approach is nice into the center of the green. He has about 20 feet for another birdie.

Woods on No. 16: More trouble. He hit deep enough in the rough stuff that it took them a few minutes to find. Sundays at the majors have not been kind to the 14-time winner.

Scott on No. 15: His approach finds the bunker but he's not in great danger. And that is the only thing he needs to avoid now.

Els on No. 17: He takes driver and airmails down the right side. He is doing everything he can to make this a ball game.

Woods on No. 15: Bogey to move to -2. The PGA Championship will now probably be where he tries to break his four-year streak without a major.

Els on No. 16: He gets par and his four back with two to play for him and then a hope that Scott gets into trouble.

Scott on No. 15: He has got driver. That is gutsy and it pays off with a great drive. Right now it is hard to see the wheels coming off but we are talking about the British Open.

Els on No. 16: He comes through with a good shot off the well-trodden ground. With Scott making birdie on No. 14, this is a must birdie-putt for Els.

Scott on No. 14: Birdie! He's now -10. No retreat, baby, no surrender.

Els on No. 16: He actually gets a good lie after hitting into the crowd. He'll have to get his wedge dancing now.

Woods on No. 15: His approach finds the greenside bunker. Not much good going on now.

Scott on 14: He has 107 yards with a sand wedge and he checks up about 15 feet from birdie. With Els in slight (but not much) trouble on No. 16 this could be huge either way.

Woods on No. 15: Iron into the wind is in the fairway but a long way off on the 462-yard par 4.

Els on No. 16: A short 366-yard par 4. Els is going for the green with metal. He loses it right into the gallery. It hits the out of bounds fence. He may have gotten a good bounce onto trampled ground.

Scott on No. 14: His drive is a big foot on the accelerator as he bombs the ball down the fairway. Els get his par so we're talking a three-shot lead for Scott.

Woods on 14: Just misses on his par putt and he's back at -3. This is a large mountain in climb now.

Scott on 13: That could have been the tournament. He just is short on birdie but a great lag. Seven straight pars for the leader.

Leaderboard: Scott at -9 (safely on No. 13 green); Els -6 (some trouble on No. 15); Woods -4 (12 footer for par on No. 14).

Woods on 14: Now has about 12-15 feet for par after a bunker shot and then an approach.

Scott on 13: From 159 yards he is short of the pin but on the green. He'll try for another par with two putts.

Els on No. 15: Els from the mess hits from 204 yards and a weird lie. He gets a clean hit and is now about 25 yards from the green. Not bad.

Scott on No. 13: This is a birdie hole and Scott hits out safely. Slow and steady so far is doing the job but it depends on what happens to Els on No. 15.

Woods on No. 14: Woods finds the bunker on this hole also. The charge has stopped dead cold for now.

Els on 15: He hits a poor tee shot so stay tuned.

Woods on No. 13: He drops a shot with bogey on the hole playing the easiest on the course this week. He is at -4.

Scott on No. 12: Another par. Els is breathing on him but thus far there is a good cushion. But again one birdie would end a lot of the discussion.

Leaderboard-update: Who would have thought it as Els who would be the guy to rear up and charge. But at -6 (after 14) he appears to be the guy that is in Scott's (-9) rear-view. Woods can stay at -5 but needs a long putt.

Scott on 12: He has another birdie putt, this one on the par 3. If he hits it you may be able to hear the door shut all the way over in England. Woods is facing a tough par putt which would leave Els (-6) as the only guy in the same neighborhood.

Woods on 13: His third shot on the par 4 is fair but not great. He has left himself about 20-25 feet for par.

Woods on 13: He has to punch out of the bunker on the par 4. This is going to take something good to just get par.

Leader-update: Scott, Els and Woods seem be the guys who will decide this with Scott currently having a four-shot lead.

Scott on No. 11: The 30-foot birdie putt is short and he'll get yet another par. If you want to get Scott you better come and get him. He's not moving back to you. Thus far.

Woods on 13: He needed birdie on this hole and he hit an awful tee shot. "Dead" is the way the broadcast said.

Scott on No. 11: His wedge is safely on the par 5 hole in three. And while pars are great he doesn't want to let the field get too close. The collar gets tighter and the putts tougher when your margin narrows. One birdie could end much of that.

Woods at 12: He needs this birdie putt and and nails the five-footer. He is now four back at -5. The pressure is ratcheted up.

McDowell at 11: He may now be out of the tournament as he jacks his approach shot over the crowd and into the gorse. He has to return back and hit 4 on the par 5.

Woods at No. 12: Don't give up on the man yet. He just hit a spectacular shot on the par 3 and should make birdie here to get to -5.

Scott at No. 11: He takes driver and avoids the bunkers with a well-placed shot. This is quickly becoming him against the course. The field hasn't put great pressure on him.

Leader-update: Scott at -9 with Els at -5. Everyone else chasing is Woods at -4 along with Snedeker and McDowell.

Woods at No. 11: Woods pays for his poor wedge shot at No. 11 and settles for par on the par 5. A really missed opportunity.

Scott at 10: His 15-footer rolls up short. A par is good a birdie would have big-footed the field.

Els at No. 12: Hello, hello. Els birdies and his now -5 and alone in second.

Woods at No. 11: His wedge gets him to the green but he's a long way from birdie which he sorely needs.

Scott at No. 10: Another birdie opp for the leader. But he has to make one or two of these to really put his foot on the throat of the field. Woods could make birdie at No. 11.

Scott on No. 10: With iron he hits a perfect tee shot. If he gets into a comfort zone now you can get the Claret Jug ready for a trip to Australia. Or at least in the hands of an Australian. McDowell is at -5 with Els, Woods and Snedeker at -4.

Scott on No. 9: His birdie putt checks up short. He'll stay at -9 but now with a four-shot lead. Everyone is running on fumes but Scott is the only one that doesn't have to sprint to the end.

McDowell on No. 9: His long par putt stays left and he gives back the one he just got on No. 8. He's back to -5.

Woods on No. 11: For the first time all week he pulls out driver on this hole. Charge! He pulls the ball so far that he may have a beaten down area to hit. And this is a par 5.

McDowell on No. 9: His chip from long grass in back of the green is chunky and flies long. Scott now has birdie putt.

Woods on No. 10: He rattles his birdie putt in and is back to -4. He trails by 5.

McDowell/Scott on No. 9: The par 3 starts off poorly for McDowell who airmails one over the green. Scott hits a great one into the middle of the green. The chess match continues.

McDowell on No. 8: He makes it a three shot tournament with a birdie putt and -6.

Woods on No. 10: His approach is a beauty. He has about 5-feet for a birdie. He needs this and a couple more.

Scott on No. 8: His birdie putt comes up short and he'll two-putt for par.

Leader-update: Put Ernie Els among those presently lurking. He's at -4 with only McDowell (-5) and Scott (-9) in front of him. Woods and Snedeker are -3.

Scott on No. 8: His approach from 152 yards out hits the heart of the green. He really needs pars now and let the rest of the field take the chances.

Woods on No. 9: A bogey to drop back to -3. He shoots 37 on the front nine. The race may go to the guy who leaks the least amount of oil on the back nine.

Scott on No. 8: After McDowell drives his long and straight on the par 4, Scott takes iron and remains safe.

Woods at No. 9: A birdie here would have been a great rallying cry but he hits his wedge over the green on the par 3. His chip back is woefully short and if he wants to stop the bleeding he'll need another great putt.

Leader update: Scott at -9 with McDowell at -5 and Woods at -4. Scott is not burning up the links but neither are the guys chasing him. A double-bogey by Snedeker, his second consecutive has dropped him to -3.

Scott on No. 7: His birdie putt goes right and he gets par to remain at -9. A birdie would have been a boost but after the ruling in his favor he has to feel as the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

Woods on No. 8: He gets a par to remain at -4.

Scott on No. 7: With a fortunate ruling, Scott decides to putt from off the green on his third shot and he rolls to within 10 feet for a birdie putt.

Scott on No. 7: His chip on his third shot is going to cost him. He took some practice swings and the ball rolled back while he was looking at the green. He gets lucky and is allowed to play it with no penalty.

Scott on 7: His approach is strong on the par 5 and he rolls through the green. Still, a good chip gives him a shot at birdie and some more breathing room.

Woods on No. 8: His is on in 2 and needs another long putt to really put the excitement into his charge. The triple-bogey weighs heavy but he did respond with chip-in birdie.

Scott at No. 7: This time he doesn't respond to a bogey. His drive is sent into the second cut. This is a par 5 but he is tumbling and the only thing keeping him afloat is others are stumbling worse.

Woods at No. 7: Maybe the magic is coming back. Woods does get a miracle birdie chip and is -4. Scott is -9, McDowell at -5, Snedeker at -5 and Els at -4.

Scott at No. 6: A third bogey for Scott as he drops to -9 but the field is collapsing around him.

Woods at No. 7: If the magic starts here, Woods will need a miracle shot on his birdie try on the par 5. He laid up and then hit a mediocre approach.

Scott at No. 6: From a different bunker on a different side Scott hits a poor shot and now has about 15 feet for par.

McDowell at No. 6: The hole catches Woods and McDowell who was chipping from the bunker for par. He had to hit backwards on his third shot. However, McDowell hits a magnificent shot and will have a short putt for bogey. He drops to -5 but not the horror show Tiger had.

Leaderboard update: After Tiger's triple-bogey on No. 6 he's at -3 with Scott at -10, Snedeker at -7, McDowell at -6 (but in trouble) and Els at -4.

McDowell on No. 6: This is the hole that may have cost Woods the tournament and McDowell is not in the same position with about as bad of a lie.

Woods on No. 7: Finally takes out driver today. This on the par 5, 592 yarder. It is wide right and he's in the second cut. If he's got any tricks or magic left this is the time to do it.

Scott on No. 6: The approach rolls into a bunker. It is a different bunker that will give Tiger nightmares.

Woods on No. 6: It is a a triple-bogey for Woods who drops to -3 and unless we see some super-human effort we may be writing him off. Still a lot of golf but that was an awful hole.

Scott on No. 6: He hits a beauty of a fairway metal to start the hole that Woods is now struggling on.

Woods on No. 6: Woods' long bogey putt of 25 feet is well short and he have a tester of 5-feet for double.

Woods on No. 6: Disaster is staring Woods in the face. He has to kneel to hit the fourth shot. Actually pretty good as it squirts out to hit the edge of the green. But he is flexing his knee.

Scott/Woods: Scott saves his par on No. 5. Woods has a fried-egg lie in the bunker on No. 6. He decides to hit out at the green instead of hitting the safe sideways shot. A poor decision. The ball hit the side and came back at him.

Scott on No. 5: His chip is not a great one but decent with 8 feet left for a par 3. McDowell hit a 15-footer to save par.

Woods on No. 6: A 5-iron into the wind is taken into the bunker. He yells "stay straight" but the wind prevails and he's buried a bit. Stay tuned for this one. More magic for Tiger?

Scott on No. 5: On the long par 3 he hits 6-iron and he runs off the back of the green. Needs an up and down to stay at -10. It has been a shaky start for the leader. But nobody is making up much ground.

Woods on No. 6: A three-wood is the choice and it is a beauty. Maybe he should draw the big weapons more often.

Scott on No. 4: Settles for par and -10, a three shot lead. Par is not bad for the man right now.

Woods on No. 5: The long birdie putt from off the green comes up short. He'll settle for another par.

Scott on No. 4: His approach hits the middle of the green. Par would be a good score for a guy with a three stroke lead. No heroics and no more bogeys is what he needs.

Scott on No. 4: He does return after his bogeys. He sent a rocket down the fairway off the tee. His bogey, birdie, bogey start has to be putting some thoughts into his head.

Woods on No. 5: He hits the green on the par 3 but it rolls off the back.

Leader update: Hey, hey a newbie on the board with Louis Oosthuizen at -4. Scott leads at -10 (two bogeys and a birdie) with Snedeker at -7, Tiger at -6 and McDowell at -6. Also at -4 is Els and Zach Johnson.

Scott on No.3: Another bogey and he's back to -10. The lead is now three over Snedeker and Scott does not look sharp.

Woods on No. 4: The birdie putt stays left and Tiger stays at -6 by overplaying the putt. With Scott in trouble that would have been huge.

Scott on No. 3: From the deep bunker, he's 40 yards from the green. His shot is solid but he's got 25 feet for par. This could be two bogeys sandwiched by a birdie for the leader. Not an ideal start. The sharks are smelling blood.

Woods on No. 4: With a 9-iron he hits the green but probably needed another 10 feet. Still he has about 15 feet for his birdie.

Scott on No. 3: From 248 yards out the approach is short and into the bunker. This could be a disaster. It was the one bunker you didn't want to be in.

Woods on No. 4: Another iron and another safe shot into the fairway. The man is a machine off the tee.

Program note: In case you are looking for something to do during commercial breaks, Caddyshack is on the Golf Channel. So you have that going for you. But don't miss what could be a Cinderella Story at the Open.

Scott on No. 3: He takes iron and is short of the bunkers in the second cut but in no danger area.

Woods on No. 3: The birdie putt hangs on the left side and it will be a great try but another par for Woods.

Woods on No. 3: This is huge for Woods. A birdie here (he's got about 12-15 feet) would send this crowd into a frenzy.

Scott on No. 2: Scott does make his short birdie putt and he's back to -11 while McDowell bogeyed to give some distance for the leader. Snedeker is still at -7.

Woods on No. 3: From 262 yards out, his approach hangs on to the edge of the green. So far he has not paid for his conservative play off the tee. He flirted with danger there but he shouted "stay! stay!" to his ball and it obeyed.

Scott on No. 2: From 203 yards out he hits a spectacular shot and could make up for that bogey on No. 1 with a six-footer for birdie. Any thoughts of the leader throwing this away early have been put on hold for the time being.

Woods on No. 3: He once again draws iron and once again finds the fairway. The strategy to let the leaders come back to him continues. No mistakes seems to be Tiger's mantra.

Scott on No. 2: After the bogey, his all important tee shot on No. 2 is perfect on the 481-yard par 4.

Leader update: Scott (-10 with a bogey on No. 1), McDowell -7, Snedeker -7, Woods -6, Zach Johnson -5, Els -4.

Woods on No. 2: Tiger's bunker shot is a beauty and he'll tap in for par. He's now just four shots off the lead.

Scott/McDowell on No.1: A tester of a par putt for Scott on No. 1 is not good. He has already dropped a stroke and now down to -10.

Woods/Snedeker on No. 2: Woods' approach is in the leftside green bunker. He paid the price for a short tee shot. Snedeker, who took driver off the tee, then sends his 5-iron approach over the green. You can't win no matter what you do.

Scott/McDowell on No. 1: McDowell starts off with a horrible shot that flies the left side of the green. Scott, the leader by four shots, hits a ball that rolls through the green. A decent start.

Woods/Snedeker on No. 2: Woods, with fairway metal on the par 4 hits a hill and bounces backwards. He misses the fairway but not in awful shape. Snedeker pulls out driver and sends it long and strong. Advantage Brandt.

Woods/Snedeker on No. 1: Tiger pars No. 1. with a chip and a short putt. Snedeker also steady with a par.

Snedeker on No. 1: He also hits the green. He'll have a long birdie putt but he is putting. No nerves on the opening shot.

Woods on No. 1: Woods starts the par 3, No. 1 with a six-iron. He rolls off the back of the green but could chip or putt from where he is. Lets get this party started.

9:17: Snedeker and Woods are now chatting on the first tee. From here on out the clubs will have to do the talking.

9:01: Nicolas Colsaerts is in the clubhouse with a 65 today putting him at -1. For the guys chasing Scott, Matt Kuchar birdied No. 2 to get to -3. Golfer are hoping to take advantage of the early holes before the wind starts avenging the course for the benign first three days.

9:00: This is a tweet from USA TODAY golf writer Steve DiMeglio on the weather. This could be interesting. The wind -- strong wind -- has arrived at Lytham ... gusts up to 35 mph expected at 3 p.m.

8:55: Graeme McDowell says he's hoping to give Scott something to think about coming down the stretch and hopes that Scott's lack of major battles will cost him.

8:50: Woods is on the driving range working with his driver. Now there is a club he had to re-introduce himself to. If Woods starts bombing his driver this could get interesting. "He's had some trouble," said ESPN's Curtis Strange about Woods and the driver. As far as hitting fairways though, Woods has been masterful.

8:40: Earlier, ESPN interviewed Snedeker and asked him what he needs to do and he said "put as much pressure on Scotty as possible." Broadcaster Peter Allis then said he noticed that Snedeker hadn't shaved that it might not trust his nervous hand to a razor. Scott said the wind would be the biggest concern and he's hoping for "a fairly clean start."