Ernie Els, who pulled off a remarkable victory at the Open Championships at Royal Lytham & St Anne's, hoped Adam Scott would be able to bounce back from his disappointing final round, while paying tribute to Nelson Mandela.

Scott, leading by four shots going into the final round, blew his first Major title chance by bogeying the last four holes to card a disastrous 75, handing the Claret Jug to the South African veteran.

Els, who himself has been on the disappointing end of Major losses in the past, was confident Scott would put the Open loss behind him. "I really feel for Scotty," the 42-year-old said. "I've been there before and blown majors and golf tournaments. I hope he doesn't take it to heart like I did. I told him you've got to bounce back quickly. Don't let it linger.

"He's 32 now and he's got the next 10 years that he can win more majors than I have and I've won four now but it was my time for some reason.

"A lot of people didn't think I could win but I started believing this year."

After carding a 2-under 68 in the final round, rather than going to the clubhouse, Els went straight to the practise greens. "I was hoping for at best a play-off," Els said. "I was on the 17th and left my putt short and looked over at Scotty, who was on the 16th green. I didn't know he had bogeyed 15 but he did on 16, which we all know is not the hardest hole, and I birdied 18 and went to the putting green and heard what happened."

The South African said he was looking forward to meeting his family, wife Liezl and his two kids Samantha and Ben, who is autistic. "Ben has got his sayings and he will be happy with his dad. Samantha will be there right next to him and Liezl and it's going to be a great time to see them.

"Ben is coming along nicely. He's a wonderful boy now, and we are going to have a lot of fun."

"I made a lot of putts with Ben in mind because I know he was watching on TV. He loves it when I hit golf balls. He loves the flight of the ball and the sound.

"I wanted to keep him excited today, so I made a lot of putts."

Els thanked the former South African president Nelson Mandela in his victory speech, and said he hoped to have a drink with him later with the Claret Jug. "I was watching the cricket on TV before and just kind of daydreaming and the thought came to me in a split second: 'If I win, I'd better thank president Mandela.' I grew up in the apartheid era and then changing into the democratic era and he was right there at the change.

"I was the first South African to win a major (the 1994 US Open), he got on the phone when I was in Pittsburgh, Oakmont.

"It was inspiring and I would love to have a drink with him with the Claret Jug. I'll go wherever he is. I'd love to see him again."

Scott was understandably disappointed after blowing a perfect opportunity to win his first Major, but insisted nerves had not played a part. "I was surprisingly calm the whole way," the Australian said.

"It came down to not making a couple of putts on the last four holes. If I make one on 15 or 16 it's very different.

"I definitely worked myself up a little bit at times, but once I was out there I felt completely in control and even the last few holes, I didn't really feel like it was a case of nerves or anything like that.

"It was a very sloppy finish and disappointing to finish that way. I played so well all week."