Brooms and Bellies Under Review

The R&A and the USGA are in discussions regarding long putters that could see them banned by 2016.

Ernie Els became the third winner of the last four majors to use the controversial belly putter, and authorities will continue to discuss the issue of 'anchoring' in the weeks ahead.

Peter Dawson, chief executive of the Royal and Ancient Club, said that while a decision could be made by the end of the year, the success of Els has no bearing on it.

"This decision has not been taken, but I think we are going to say something in a few months rather than years," Dawson said.

"There are further discussions to be had, but if the rule is changed it would come into effect on January 1 2016.

"Let me say that the Open Championship result does not have a direct bearing on the discussions about long and belly putters. They were going on well before what has happened.

"The situation is that the R&A and the USGA do have this subject firmly back on the radar.

"We appreciate that there is much speculation about this and that we need to clarify the position as soon as possible.

"The initial determination has been that we are examining the subject from a method of stroke standpoint rather than length of putter standpoint."

Dawson added that more and more players who have not 'failed' with a conventional putter are joining the ranks of players reaching for a longer club.

"The objections I find from those who object at professional level, at elite level, are all about 'If people have become failed putters in the conventional way, why should they have a crutch to come back and compete against me when I haven't failed in the conventional way'," he added.

"That's the general argument one hears, but we're also seeing now people who can putt perfectly well in the conventional way thinking that an anchored stroke gives them an advantage.

"I think that's the fundamental change that we've witnessed in the last couple of years.

"Anchoring is what we're looking at, method of stroke, and it's all about putting around a fixed pivot point, whether that fixed pivot point is in your belly or under your chin or on your chest. I don't distinguish."

Ian Poulter added his thoughts to the argument, telling Sky Sports he was against the use of an anchor.

"It's a interesting one - three of the last four majors have been won by people using belly putters," he said. "Should they be used? I dont think they should be, you shouldn't be able to anchor them with the butt end of the club, it certainly makes it easier.

"It's definitely an advantage on certain putts. If you're able to anchor the club you then have a way of stopping rotation, so theoretically the club should swing back through the impact position squarer if the butt-end is anchored.

"They're are definitely looking at that to see what it is they can do, if anything at all."

McIlroy Slips Rank as Woods Promoted

The Official World Golf Ranking released Monday saw Tiger Woods tie for third at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, help him leap Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy in the rankings this week. The finish, which was Woods' best in a major since his runner-up at the 2009 PGA Championship, saw McIlroy fall to No. 3, Westwood to No. 4 and Webb Simpson rounds out the top 5.

Open champion Ernie Els vaulted from No. 40 to No. 15.

Woods had been sitting in the No. 4 spot since June 3 after his victory at the Memorial Tournament. Woods returns to the No. 2 spot that he vacated on Jan. 16, 2011.

Returning to the second spot also makes him the highest-ranked American since Phil Mickelson was No. 3 the week of April 3, 2011. Five of this week's top 10 are from the U.S., including Bubba Watson (No. 7), Jason Dufner (No. 8) and Matt Kuchar (No. 9).

Woods' return to the top 2 in the rankings is remarkable considering he was ranked No. 50 or worse from Sept. 25 through Dec. 3 in 2011. His victory at the Chevron World Challenge, an unofficial event that carries world-ranking points, bumped him up to No. 21, but he finished the year at No. 23.

His victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational two weeks before the 2012 Masters put him back in the top 10, at No. 6, and he hasn't been worse than No. 9 (May 27) since.

Despite his rise in the rankings, Woods is still working on parts of his game that made him a finisher in majors. That work mostly centers on distance control - off the tee and in the fairway.

"I finally feel like I'm really healthy. And I've got my pop back in my swing. So I'm hitting the ball distances I know I can," said Woods, who will next play at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Aug. 2-5 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

"Unfortunately when I get out here with a little bit of adrenalin, it goes a little bit further, too. It's a combination of having my strength and my speed back, at the same time playing tournament golf. It's not that far off."

Woods Dreams Bunkered at Sixth

Tiger Woods reflected on the one horrific hole that effectively ended his chances of Open Championship glory on the final day at Royal Lytham.

The three-time champion had made a solid start in the blustery conditions, reeling off five opening pars while most of the leaders were frittering shots away.

But Woods came to grief at the sixth, where he took two splashes to escape a greenside bunker and then three-putted to run up his first triple-bogey in a major since 2003.

"The problem is if I played left I wasn't assured I could get it to the gallery and get it out of that slope because if it rolls back in the bunker and I'm on the downslope then I've got no backswing," he explained.

"The game plan was to fire it into the bank, have it ricochet to the right and then have an angle to come back at it. Unfortunately it ricocheted to the left and almost hit me."

Woods battled on, chipping in for birdie at seven and picking up further shots at 10 and 12, but he bogeyed the next three before a closing birdie capped a three-over 73 as he finished four behind Ernie Els.

"Overall I'm pleased with the way I played, unfortunately just a couple here and there ended up costing me some momentum, especially at six," Woods added.

"Again, I left a lot of putts short out there. The greens were a little bit slow and I tried to put some more hit in my stroke but they were dying off the front of the lip."

McDowell Feels Scott's Pain

Graeme McDowell admitted there was little he could say to comfort Adam Scott after his costly finish to The Open at Royal Lytham.

McDowell's hopes of victory had long since disappeared when Scott's game fell apart over the last four holes, bogeys at each of them handing the Claret Jug to Ernie Els.

"It was tough to say anything to him that was going to be of any relevance," McDowell said.

"I said he's a great champion and there are many majors ahead for him. It's just a tough beat.

"He struggled on the greens a little bit today, as we all did. The putt he missed on 16 was huge for him.

"Then he hit a great drive down the middle of 17 and with half of England right of that pin he missed it left.

"He's going to be extremely heart-broken and disappointed, but he's a great, great, great player and that's what I tried to convey to him on the last green.

"Like I say, it felt like a futile exercise trying to say anything to him, but I'm sure he's going to be unbelievably disappointed."

On his own round of 75, which left him in a tie for fifth, he added: "It was a tough day at the office, no doubt about it.

"But I'm not splattered on the floor right now in disappointment. I'm just a little frustrated.

"I guess my disappointment kind of seems relatively stupid. I've just seen a guy lose the Open Championship."

Els Stunned by Lytham Open Win

Ernie Els could hardly believe it after he became Open champion again following Adam Scott's collapse at Lytham.

The 42-year-old South African triumphed after Scott suffered a nightmare collapse over Royal Lytham's closing stretch.

Scott, chasing his first major, looked all set to become the first Australian to hold the Claret Jug aloft since Greg Norman in 1993 when he led by four shots with only four holes to play.

But he bogeyed them all and Els, having made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final green 20 minutes earlier, suddenly found himself with a fourth major title without even having to go into a play-off.

As Nick Faldo said: "Well done Ernie Els, but Adam Scott is going to be scarred for life."

Els commented: "I'm just all numb at the moment. He's a great friend of mine. Obviously we both wanted to win very badly for different reasons and I really feel for him.

"It's the nature of the beast. That's why we are out here. You win, you lose and it was my time.

"I was hoping at best play-off. When I was on the 17th green he was on the 16th tee and, as we all know, it's not the hardest hole."

Having stood 11 under earlier in the day, the Australian signed for a 75 and six under.

Tiger Woods, who also finished poorly in addition to taking a triple bogey, tied for third with fellow American Brandt Snedeker three shots further back, while Scott's playing partner Graeme McDowell ended up fifth with world number one Luke Donald.

In his winner's speech Els told the crowd: "I had a lot of support this week. But you guys have got to ask yourselves the question were you just being nice to me or did you actually believe I could win?".Scott retained his composure admirably, but must have been devastated inside. "I'm pretty disappointed," he said. "I had it in my hands and managed to hit a poor shot at each of the closing four holes.

"I'm very, very disappointed, but I played so beautifully for most of the week I certainly should not let this get me down.

"Surprisingly I was incredibly calm and I still am. I thought I could roll that last putt in, but I didn't and that's golf."