The Open 2012: Facts and stats behind Ernie Els's win

Ernie Els's one-shot victory in the 141st Open Championship came a decade after he lifted the Claret Jug for the first time following a sudden-death play-off victory over Thomas Levet. Here are a selection of the fact and figures behind the South African's triumph.

Els's victory takes him from 40th to 15th in the world rankings.

It is the 42-year-old's fourth major championship win in 79th appearances, following victory at the 2002 Open at Muirfield and wins in the US Opens of 1994 and 1997.

This year's event was his 22nd appearance in the Open and his second consecutive top-10 finish in a major following his tie for ninth at last month's US Open.

The gap of 10 years that seperated Els's triumphs in Muirfield and Royal Lytham is second longest in Open history after Henry Cotton's wins in the 1937 and 1948 tournaments.

It is the sixteenth consecutive major won by different player, a run stretching back to Padraig Harrington's wins at the Open and PGA Championship back in 2008.

Els's six-shot final-round comeback is the biggest in a major since Harrington defeated Sergio Garcia in a play-off in the 2007 Open.

The win, the 66th of his professional career, carries Els to second in the list of South African major winners, joining Bobby Locke on four. Gary Player has won nine.