Adam Scott may be feeling pretty lonely today. The Aussie blew a four-shot lead at the British Open with four holes to play, allowing Ernie Els to storm in and take the Claret Jug.
On the bright side, Scott's collapse wasn't nearly the most embarrassing at a Major, and at 32 he'll certainly have many chances to make up for his missed opportunity.
In looking at the worst collapses in Major history, Scott can take solace in knowing that he is up there with some of golf's greats -- Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson and Greg Norman, among others.
The Worst Collapses In Major History Of Golf Slideshow
1. Jean Van de Velde: 1999 British Open
With only four professional wins to his name, Jean Van de Velde will be best remembered for his amazingly unfortunate collapse on the final hole of the 1999 British Open. Van de Velde had a three-shot lead going into the final hole, but a series of poor decisions led to a triple-bogey. The Frechman hit a bunker, the grandstand and the Barry Burn on the eighteenth hole at Carnoustie. Ultimately, Paul Lawrie topped Van de Velde and Justin Leonard in a three-way playoff.
2. Arnold Palmer: 1966 U.S. Open
Arnold Palmer opened the final day of play at the Olympic Club with a three-stroke lead, and that advantage had become seven by the turn. But Palmer struggled over the final nine holes, tallying a trio of bogeys, while Billy Casper caught fire, shooting a 32. Casper won the next day's playoff.
3. Greg Norman: 1996 Masters
Greg Norman opened the final day at Augusta with a six-shot lead, but that advantage evaporated by the 11th hole. The Shark finished the round with five bogeys, two double-bogeys and a score of 78. Meanwhile, Nick Faldo shot a 67 en route to his third green jacket.
4. Phil Mickelson: 2006 U.S. Open
Looking to win his third straight Major, Phil Mickelson blew it on the final hole. Lefty used his driver off the tee but couldn't land the ball on the fairway. He ended up double-bogeying the hole, failing to force a playoff and finishing with a final-day 74. Meanwhile Geoff Ogilvy, who had lost a two-shot lead with a couple of bogeys during the final round, parred 18 for the win.
5. Adam Scott: 2012 British Open
Adam Scott was so close to victory that they had already begun to trace his name on the Open Championship medal. The normally-steady Scott took a four-shot lead into the 15th hole, but he bogeyed the last four holes and let Ernie Els slip by him and take the Claret Jug by a single stroke.
6. Scott Hoch: 1989 Masters
Hoch's collapse is one of the most agonizing because his downfall came by putt. He missed a short par putt on 17 to drop into a tie with Nick Faldo. Then, on the second hole of the sudden-death playoff, Hoch needed to sink one of two putts to take the tournament. His birdie putt rolled past the cup. His par putt, from about two feet out, was also too strong. Hoch sank the bogey but lost to Nick Faldo on the next hole.
7. Jason Dufner: 2011 PGA Championship
Jason Dufner stayed one shot ahead of the field on Friday and Saturday, and he looked strong making the turn on Sunday. Dufner had a five-shot lead at 15, but he hit his tee shot in the water and tallied three straight bogeys. Dufner proceeded to lose to Keegan Bradley in a three-hole playoff.
8. Ed Sneed: 1979 Masters
Sneed cruised through the first three days at Augusta, finishing Saturday at 12-under 204 and five strokes ahead of Tom Watson. Sneed was up three strokes at 16, but he bogeyed the final three holes and fell into a playoff with Watson and Fuzzy Zoeller. Zoeller won the sudden-death playoff for his first major victory.
9. Sam Snead: 1947 U.S. Open
Sam Snead could never snag that elusive U.S. Open title, but he came closest in 1947. Snead birdied an 18-footer on the final hole to force an 18-hole playoff with Lew Worsham. In the playoff Snead choked away a two-stroke lead with three holes left, and by 18 the pair was tied. Snead missed a 2 ½-foot putt for par on 18, and Worsham beat him with a 2-under 69.
10. Dustin Johnson: 2010 U.S. Open
After keeping pace with a 1-under 141 over the first two days, Dustin Johnson shot a magnificent 5-under 66 on Saturday to vault into the lead. But it was quickly apparent that Johnson's sweet stroke was nowhere to be found during the final round, as he triple-bogeyed the second hole and double-bogeyed the third. Johnson finished with an 11-over 82 on Sunday, dropping him into a tie for eighth place.
Hey, we all make mistakes. Luckily, most of our mistakes don't happen in front of millions of people and cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars.
