Major Championship Disappointments

With the 2009 British Open in our rear view, a lot of talk is about what could have been. A 59-year-old man had a chance to win a major championship against the best golfers in the world, and was one swing away from doing so. So, where does this tournament rank in major championship disappointments? Take a look and see ...

Ken Venturi's 80 at the 1956 Masters -- Before Kenneth Venturi made a name for himself as golf broadcaster, he was a pretty good stick. Good enough that, in 1956, as an amateur, Venturi found himself leading the Masters by four shots heading into the final round. Venturi would eventually shot 80 on Sunday, missing out on a chance to become the only amateur ever to win the Masters. Jack Burke Jr. claimed the green jacket that year, coming back from eight shots on the final day.

Arnold Palmer's 1966 U.S. Open Collapse -- The year was 1966, and the King was going through his longest drought without a major since his first win, at the '58 Masters. After a tie for fourth at the '66 Masters, Palmer went to the Olympic Club in hopes of claiming his second U.S. Open title. Seven shots up with nine holes to go at the majestic San Francisco course, Palmer faltered, leading to an 18-hole playoff that was eventually won by Billy Casper. Palmer never won another major championship.

Tom Watson's Miss at Career Grand Slam -- Watson has won eight major championships, but never a PGA Championship. That could have been erased in 1978, when he took a four-shot lead into the final round at Oakmont, only to shoot a 2-over 73 and find himself in a three-man playoff. John Mahaffey ended up with the Wanamaker Trophy, and still holds the record for biggest comeback in PGA Championship history.

Greg Norman's 1996 Masters -- Sometimes, a picture can say everything you need to know about that fateful Sunday at Augusta, and here it is. Up six shots with 18 holes to go at the Masters, Norman looked like he'd finally break through at a tournament he'd finished in the top seven times prior. The Shark ended up shooting a final round 78 to lose to Nick Faldo by five shots. Not only was this my first golf memory as a kid, but watching him collapse was one of the tougher things any golf fan has ever watched.

Jean Van de Velde -- Not a lot of sports moments can make you think directly to that time by just the person's name -- Billy Buckner. Steve Bartman. David Tyree. Jean Van de Velde is the golf version. The 1999 British Open had everything you'd ever want in an epic collapse, including a playoff you knew wouldn't be won by the victim. Up three shots on the field after basically dominating the toughest golf course in the world, the unknown Frenchman stood on the 18th tee at Carnoustie with a golfer's dream -- a double-bogey to win the Claret Jug.

You know what happened next. Van de Velde decided to pull driver off the tee, pushing it 30 yards right of the fairway. Instead of chipping out into the fairway, Van de Velde, who appeared to have killed his caddie, decided to go for the green. I've played Carnoustie. The only hole tougher than 18 in Scotland is the 17th. Nobody in their right mind would ever do any of this. His second shot hit the grandstands, bounced off some bricks around the Barry Burn, and ended up in the rough. On his third shot, Van de Velde tried to hit it out the rough, only to find the burn.

The lasting image came next, as Van de Velde rolled up his pants, took off his shoes and looked like he might try to hit the half-submerged golf ball. He eventually took a drop, hitting his fifth shot into a bunker. Needed to get up and down just to make the playoff, Van de Velde hit out of the bunker to eight feet and somehow, heroically, made the putt. That was all for naught, as he lost in the playoff to Paul Lawrie.

Just typing all that out makes me feel bad for the guy, who famously said after, "Maybe next time I'll hit the wedge," he said. "And maybe you will all forgive me."

Phil Mickelson at Winged Foot -- It looked like we were well on our way to the Lefty Slam back in 2006, when Mickelson arrived at Winged Foot. Fresh off his second Masters victory and second consecutive major championship, Lefty had his game together. Rounds of 70-73-69 were good enough for a share of the lead heading into the final round, where Mickelson would be paired with Kenneth Ferrie.

Lefty made three birdies on Sunday, and was standing on the 18th tee with a one-shot lead, needing a par to tie and a bogey to win his first U.S. Open. Phil inexplicably hit a tee shot so far left off 18 that it caromed off a merchandise tent. If that wasn't bad enough, Mr. Gamble himself tried to hit a punch-cut long iron, only to catch a branch. Four shots later Phil was tapping in for double-bogey, famously saying after, "I am such an idiot."

Sergio Garcia, Carnoustie in 2007 -- From the start of the week at Carnoustie, Sergio Garcia looked like he'd be claiming that first major championship we had all expected for years. The Spaniard burst on our golf radar in 1999 at the PGA Championship, where he famously dueled with Tiger Woods only to eventually lose to his Swooshness.

Garcia had since struggled with the spotlight, but an opening round 65 at Carnoustie in '07 was music to golf fan's ears. Sergio continued to dominate the course some call Car-Nasty, making just three bogeys in his first 54 holes. Heading into the final round with a three-stroke lead, the tournament looked to be his.

On the front nine on Sunday, Sergio was downright nervous, make three bogeys in four holes before making up with consecutive birdies on 13 and 14. With Padraig Harrington making a move, Garcia needed to keep making pars, but a bogey on 15 looked like the end to Garcia's run. That was, until Padraig made a double-bogey on the 18th, leaving the door open for a Sergio par and the victory. Blaming just about everything but the Goodyear blimp, Garcia couldn't cash a 10-footer for par, losing in a playoff to Padraig. Also, Garcia took "being gracious in defeat" to an inexplicably low level.

Tom Watson at the '09 British -- It was the story that you're now probably sick of hearing. A 59-year-old past Open champion making a run at a course he made famous in 1977. A storybook moment for sure, Watson needed just a par on his final hole to take home his sixth Claret Jug.

Deciding between clubs, Watson picked the 8-iron, and as fate has it, was victim of the type of golf that he has always dominated. The shot landed on the green, but would never bite, bouncing over the green and leading to a three-putt bogey. Watson would eventually lose to Stewart Cink a playoff, having us all wonder, "What could have been?"