4. “Pulling A Van de Velde”, 1999, Carnoustie
All Van de Velde had to do was wrap up the notoriously cranky 18th Hole at Carnoustie in six or less to be permitted to raise The Claret Jug. Instead of playing the treacherous final hole conservatively the Frenchmen absolutely collapsed and had to hit a 10-foot putt just to force a three-way playoff with Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie. Lawrie ended up winning the playoff and Van de Velde’s name now lends itself to every collapse in golf — which is now called “Pulling A Van de Velde.”
About Michael Leboff