10 Years Later, Van de Velde’s Collapse Still a Nightmare
by AG | July 16, 2009 - 6:28am | 0 comments - 9 reads
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Tom Watson jumped out to a first-round lead at the British Open this morning with a 5-under 65, with Stewart Cink, Steve Stricker, and three others trailing by one in the clubhouse. We're still a long way from Sunday, but on this tenth anniversary of the 1999 Open at Carnoustie in Scotland, it's worth remembering the worst 18th-hole collapse in the history of major championship golf. Every golf fan, and even most casual sports fans, know the name Jean Van de Velde -- the man who came to the 18th tee with a 3-stroke lead and ended up making a disastrous 7 on the last hole, falling back into a three-way playoff with Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie, which he eventually lost. It was an epic collapse, as documented by the video above and below, and by one of Rick Reilly's best Sports Illustrated columns that we can remember.
What you might not know about Van de Velde, however, is that he went back to the scene of the crime a few months later, in the dead of winter, and tried to score a 6 on the 18th hole -- using only his putter (as some commentators told him he could have used in the first place and still won). The three-part video is essentially an infomercial for the putter he's using, but it's still remarkable to watch. We love his sense of humor and the fact that just like on that July day back in 1999 we found ourselves rooting for him to, well, not blow it. And at the end of the day, he can still roll a putt. Check it out after the jump.
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