Top 5 Open Championship
Moments
The world’s oldest golf championship is
held in Scotland at least three out of every five
years.
Spectators love to see the world’s best players
battle it out while taking on the challenges which come with
playing on a links course. The Open Championship is regarded as the
biggest event in the golfing calendar - and the pressure of the
game has thrown up some memorable moments over the years…
Seve Ballesteros’ putt on the 18th, St
Andrews 1984
St Andrews Old Course was playing hard and long.
Seve was in his prime. Tom Watson was hot on his heels, but
struggling on the road hole 17th after hitting his shot too well,
over the back of the green and onto the tarmac road behind. Seve’s
fiery personality, swashbuckling good-looks and risk-taking playing
style had won the hearts of Europe and transformed the game as we
knew it.
Here he was, on the 18th hovering over his putt.
The entire golfing world held its breath as the ball rolled
languidly to the hole and dropped in, after what had seemed like an
eternity. Seve punched the air and gave one of the greatest
celebrations in golf history. How many kids tried to recreate this
scene on their home course? This legendary moment on a Scottish
course is now proudly emblazoned on Seve’s logo.
Duel in the Sun - Watson versus Nicklaus,
Turnberry 1977
Regarded by many as the greatest Open ever,
Turnberry's first Championship witnessed the 'duel in the sun'. In
the soaring Carnoustie heat, Watson and Nicklaus fought shot by
shot, hole by hole over the last two rounds. This match is very far
removed from the modern era when it seems that only Tiger is not
afraid of success. This match saw two giants at their best, neither
afraid to take risks. Failure was not an option.
The game was aggressive, competitive and
fantastic to watch. If Dan Brown was writing about a golf match,
this would be it. Wherever one birdied, the other followed.
Whenever one put the ball close to the hole, the other followed.
Watson went on to win by one shot ahead of Jack….but 10 ahead of
the rest. Scotland had surely hosted one of the best golf games in
golfing history.
Doug Sanders missed putt, St. Andrews
1970
Imagine if you had a 3o inch putt to win the
Open. How nervous would you feel? Now imagine this same putt with
thousands standing around the green and millions watching on tv.
Most of us weekend golfers get a touch wobbly if someone stops to
watch us play.
Poor Doug Sanders has been immortalised for the
putt that never was. The left to right down hill putt is the most
nerve wrecking in golf. It is as enjoyable as skinny dipping in
Antarctica. Not pleasant. To sooth the bitterness of the missed
putt, who did he face in the play off on the following day? A
strident Jack Nickalus. To give Sanders his due, he won 20 PGA
tournaments and brought colour and energy to the game. He also was
only beaten on the last hole by Jack. When asked years later if the
putt had blighted his life, Sanders said, “No….some days I can go
20 minutes without thinking about it.”
Van de Velde’s sinking feeling,
Carnoustie, 1999
Oh God. Why did he do it? This is still painful
to even write about but here goes. Tissues at the ready. Jean van
de Velde, the rookie Frenchman, only needed to double bogey the
18th to win. That’s right. Double bogey. No heroics. No grand
standing. Simple golf from tee to green. Thanks for the claret jug.
I’m off for a soiree.
Unfortunately that is not what happened. Standing
in the middle of the fairway after a so-so drive, he had two
options, or perahps one, in retrospect. He could lay up short of
the Barry burn, pitch onto the green, and enjoy being the title
holder (called the good option)... or as van de Velde went for,
(also known as bad option)… take a 2 iron, drive it into the
stands, pitch it into the water, climb into the water, climb out of
the water, pitch into a bunker, pitch out of the bunker and hole a
good putt to take part in a playoff… which he lost to Scot, Paul
Lawrie.
In Van de Velde’s own words, “Maybe I should have
laid up. The ball was laying so well. Next time, I’ll hit a wedge
and you’ll all forgive me?” No…not yet…it still hurts.
Greg Norman’s first major, Turnberry,
1986
Norman was the nearly man for so long. At the
very point when he looked like he was about to win, someone would
pitch in on the 18th from an impossible position. Norman was also
partly to blame for his nearly-man title as he had thrown a few
major titles away. To be fair to Norman, it was his absolute
brilliance as a player that saw him consistently in the leading
group on the final day (even if the collywobbles took over - It
happens to us all).
His debut major win came largely on the back of a
course record equalling 63 on day two and a fighting 3rd round 74
in a gale. Norman strolled the last two holes of the championship
and won by five. He was able to savour the moment and got a
standing ovation from players and crowds alike. Speaking after the
event Norman said, “Winning a golf championship is a wonderful
thing, especially when it's the British Open, which is the true
Open, the oldest championship in golf.”
