Here we look at our Top 5 Major Meltdowns including Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie in 2006...But can you guess who tops the list?
Top 5 Major Meltdowns
5 – Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie 2006 US Open
Often billed as Phil Mickelson’s lost US Open, he was not the only one to lose his bottle over the final stretch, although his thrashing around near the hospitality tent at the 18th at Winged Foot will live long in the memory.
Related: Phil Mickelson: The US Open’s Nearly Man
With a horribly sliced drive off the tee and failed recovery, the American failed to make par to win or bogey to make a playoff, as did Colin Montgomerie after a perfect drive down the middle of the same hole. With multiple bodies littering the 18th, Geoff Ogilvy held his nerve to win the only major of his career.
Phil Mickelson stands on the 18th green after his missed putt to enter a playoff in the 2006 US Open
4 – Adam Scott 2012 Open Championship
Adam Scott’s four-bogey stretch in the last four holes at Royal Lytham was particularly shocking and gruelling to watch as it was so unexpected and came from a universally popular player who seemed to have sealed the deal with a long birdie putt on the 14th.
In the end a combination of poor shot selection and nerves let Ernie Els in to win by a shot. Thankfully for Scott fans, the Australian soon bounced back to win the 2013 Masters and more majors must be in the pipeline.
Adam Scott reacts to a missed par putt on the 18th green during the 2012 Open Championship
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3 – Greg Norman 1996 Masters
The final round at the 1996 Masters would haunt Greg Norman for the rest of his career, with a six-shot lead blown to allow his bitter rival, Nick Faldo, to win by five after a wonderful 67 to Norman’s 78.
When considering Norman’s prodigious talent and ball-striking, it is incredible to think that he only won two majors, but nerves on the big stage mean he will be remembered as a nearly man, with eight 2nd place finishes.
Greg Norman sinks to his knees on the 15th after narrowly missing the hole with his chip during the 1996 Masters
2 – Doug Sanders 1970 Open Championship
Paralleling Dustin Johnson’s three-putt on Sunday, Doug Sanders contrived to do the same from an even shorter distance on the 18th at St Andrews.
Needing two putts to beat Jack Nicklaus, he left his first putt two feet short before squirming his next one right. Inevitably, he would go on to lose the playoff the following day.
Doug Sanders missed a short putt on the 18th to lose his chance of winning The Open in 1970
1 – Jean Van de Velde 1999 Open Championship
The meltdown to end all meltdowns. Jean Van de Velde’s eight (yes eight) on the final hole at Carnoustie in 1999 may be one of the most memorable moments in sporting history, with the famous image of him barefoot in the Barrie Burn now written in Open folklore.
Needing only a double bogey to win, Van de Velde contrived to zigzag between the rough, the burn and the sand to make a triple bogey and lose the playoff to Paul Lawrie. At least Dustin Johnson’s three putt wasn’t quite THAT bad.
Jean an de Velde looks at his ball in the burn on the 18th during the 1999 Open at Carnoustie
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