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02/28/2005: Karen's Trivia Q Answer
Q: In the annals of the Observer Sport Monthly...this mishap which occurred in 1999 counts as number 8 in the top TEN "worst mishaps in the history of sports." What was this and who was involved in this disaster?
I watched this disaster event from the final round of the 1999 British Open on TV. It became one of the worst golf-nuclear melt downs of a "Title Certainty" to "Loser of the Year" awards EVER. (Greg "The Shark" Norman's "always the Bridesmaid, never the Bride" self-destructions in Golf Legendom nothwithstanding.) This 1999 debacle made the list of The Observer Sport Monthy Magazine's Ten Worst Mishaps in the History of Sport."Disaster # 8: Jean Van de Velde's final hole disaster at the 1999 open. Jean Van de Velde looked invincible as he stood on the final tee at Carnoustie holding a three-shot lead. A few minutes later, the 33-year-old Frenchman was rolling up his trousers to wade in to Barry Burn where his ball lay under water. That was after his first shot landed on the 17th fairway and his second, having struck a stand and a rock, ended in heavy rough. His third plopped in to the burn, his fourth was a drop, his fifth disappeared in to a bunker, his sixth rolled on to the green and his seventh, a putt from seven feet, found the centre of the hole. Van de Velde then finished last in a three-way play-off for the title with winner Paul Lawrie and Justin Leonard."
We argued endlessly about...If you'd been his Caddy...would you have handed him that "wood" when he asked for it to "go for the green"...or would you have first broken that club in half, then, smiling, asked him for his second choice of club instead. Merde!
To see the entire list click on the link above.
Karen on 02.28.05 @ 07:31 AM CST
