Past Champion Ernie Els Withdraws From 152nd Open

Ernie Els has been forced withdrawn from The 152nd Open due to a back injury.

The legendary South African struggled on day one at Royal Troon in shooting an 11-over-par 82.

Els, who won the Claret Jug in 2002 at Muirfield and then again in 2012 at Royal Lytham and St Annes, has been in brilliant form on the over-50s PGA Tour Champions this year but clearly had a niggle that contributed to a poor start at Troon.

The four-time Major champion, now 54-years-old, has six wins on the Champions Tour including three since June.

Just last week he captured his first senior Major at the Senior Players Championship, called Kaulig Companies Championship, at former WGC venue Firestone Country Club.

Els isn't the only man to have withdrawn this week, with John Daly withdrawing due to a knee injury and Romain Langasque completing just seven holes of round one before calling it a day due to injury.

Sweden's Sebsastian Soderberg was also a late withdrawal prior to the championship getting underway.

Els was due to go out early on Friday morning at 7.19am local time (2.19am ET) alongside Gary Woodland, amateur Altin van der Merwe.