BASSALEG-based Phillip Price has hit top form just at the right time after coming second to runaway leader Ernie Els at the Scottish Open yesterday.

And although he is likely to say that the trophies and titles are the main thing, it would not have escaped the notice of Price's bank manager that his current account has ballooned over the past week.

He picked up a cheque for £191,080 by coming joint second with Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, to add to his £333,330 prize money when he won the Smurfit European Open at Dublin's K Club last Sunday.

However, there was not much chance of Price catching Els after the South African had built a four-shot lead by the end of the second round on Friday.

That had risen to five shots by last night, when Els ended his final round on 267 compared to Price's 272 final total.

Price though admitted feeling drained.

"I am absolutely smashed," Price said. "Two weeks being in contention has really worn me out.

"But this sets me up for The Open."

Price's missed putt on the 18th cost him more than £50,000, still, with over half-a-million pounds in the bank over the past eight days, he is hardly going to be complaining.

However, any chances of Gwent enjoying another successful tournament through one of its players fell by the wayside.

Blackwood's Bradley Dredge, who was fifth at the cut on Friday, ended the event in joint tenth place after third and fourth rounds of 70, which gave him a seven-under- par total of 277.

Ernie Els completed the perfect warm-up for the defence of his Open crown. He carded a final-round 69 for a 17-under-par total of 267, five shots clear of Ryder Cup team-mates Phil Price and Darren Clarke, with Ireland's Gary Murphy enjoying his best-ever finish two shots further back in fourth.

The world number two collected the winner's cheque for £366,660, and could earn more than £1million in the space of seven days if he can successfully defend his Open title at Sandwich.

The wire-to-wire victory also maintains Els' remarkable form on the European Tour this season, with three wins, two second places and three other top-six finishes in his eight stroke-play events so far.

He also won back-to-back tournaments in America at the start of the year and has a worst finish of joint 38th on either side of the Atlantic.

"It was tough today," insisted Els, who has blown 54-hole leads in Singapore and Dubai this season. "I had a little battle within myself and I overcame that.

"It got close for a while, but I responded in the right way and kept my nerve. I'm just happy to play well this week. It's a step in the right direction.

"I've won a couple of times back-to-back this season and played well in the majors, so I have more confidence than I've had in a long time.

"Stamina is not going to be a problem after the two weeks off I had before this week. I should be just warming up.

"The Open is a totally different week, but I have confidence in my game."

Price looked well in control until Clarke birdied the 15th and 16th, and both had putts for outright second on the 18th, Price missing from just four feet and Clarke from 15.

"I just played poorly today, it was another day where I didn't swing the club very well," said Clarke.

"I had a few opportunities at the start to make some birdies to make a dent in his lead, but I didn't take them.

"He was in control most of the day."