Golf is a sport known for its intense mental challenges, and even the best players in the world have experienced dramatic meltdowns on the course. Here are some of the most legendary golf meltdowns in history:
1. Greg Norman - 1996 Masters
- Event: The Masters
- Details: Greg Norman entered the final round of the 1996 Masters with a six-shot lead over Nick Faldo. However, he shot a disastrous 78 (+6) while Faldo shot 67 (-5), resulting in Norman losing by five strokes. This collapse is often cited as one of the most painful in golf history.
2. Jean Van de Velde - 1999 Open Championship
- Event: The Open Championship at Carnoustie
- Details: Jean Van de Velde needed only a double bogey on the final hole to win. After an array of poor decisions and unfortunate shots, including a trip into the Barry Burn, he triple-bogeyed the 18th hole and lost in a playoff to Paul Lawrie.
3. Adam Scott - 2012 Open Championship
- Event: The Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes
- Details: Adam Scott had a four-shot lead with four holes to play. However, he bogeyed each of the final four holes, allowing Ernie Els to win by one stroke.
4. Arnold Palmer - 1966 U.S. Open
- Event: U.S. Open at Olympic Club
- Details: Arnold Palmer had a seven-stroke lead with nine holes to play. However, he struggled on the back nine, allowing Billy Casper to catch up. Palmer lost in an 18-hole playoff the next day.
5. Rory McIlroy - 2011 Masters
- Event: The Masters
- Details: Rory McIlroy held a four-shot lead going into the final round but shot an 80 (+8) on Sunday, including a triple bogey on the 10th hole. He finished tied for 15th, 10 strokes behind the winner, Charl Schwartzel.
6. Jordan Spieth - 2016 Masters
- Event: The Masters
- Details: Jordan Spieth had a five-shot lead with nine holes to play. However, a disastrous quadruple-bogey 7 on the 12th hole led to him losing the lead. He finished three strokes behind winner Danny Willett.
7. Dustin Johnson - 2010 U.S. Open and PGA Championship
- Event: U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and PGA Championship at Whistling Straits
- Details: At the U.S. Open, Johnson had a three-shot lead entering the final round but shot an 82 (+11) to finish tied for 8th. Later that year, at the PGA Championship, he was penalized two strokes for grounding his club in a bunker on the final hole, missing the playoff by one stroke.
8. Tom Watson - 2009 Open Championship
- Event: The Open Championship at Turnberry
- Details: At 59 years old, Tom Watson needed a par on the 72nd hole to win. However, he bogeyed the hole and lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink.
9. Scott Hoch - 1989 Masters
- Event: The Masters
- Details: Scott Hoch missed a two-foot putt on the first playoff hole that would have won the tournament. Nick Faldo went on to win on the next hole.
10. Phil Mickelson - 2006 U.S. Open
- Event: U.S. Open at Winged Foot
- Details: Phil Mickelson needed a par on the 18th hole to win or a bogey to force a playoff. However, a series of poor shots led to a double bogey, and he finished one stroke behind winner Geoff Ogilvy.
Honorable Mentions
- Sergio Garcia - 2007 Open Championship: Garcia had a three-shot lead entering the final round but ultimately lost in a playoff to Padraig Harrington.
- Ed Sneed - 1979 Masters: Sneed bogeyed the final three holes and lost in a playoff to Fuzzy Zoeller.
- Doug Sanders - 1970 Open Championship: Sanders missed a short putt on the 18th hole, losing in a playoff to Jack Nicklaus.
These meltdowns are memorable not only for the heartbreak they caused the players involved but also for the dramatic shifts they created in the tournaments, making for some of the most compelling moments in golf history.