The most heartbreaking moments in major championship history

These are the biggest heartbreaks in major championship history.

From collapses to near misses, these heartbreaking moments in major championship history are not for the faint-hearted…

Golf is an inherently cruel game and has wreaked major havoc on some of the best players in the world over the years. 

Here are some of the biggest heartbreaks in major championship history.

Rory McIlroy: 2011 Masters

There is something about Augusta National. More than any other course, it can ruthlessly rip your heart out at any moment.

That’s what happened to Rory McIlroy in 2011. Aged 21 at the time, the Northern Irishman appeared set to open his major account with a green jacket after opening up a four-shot lead after three rounds.

After a nervy start, McIlroy steadied the ship and reached the turn one ahead, but what transpired from there was incredibly tough to watch.

A sniper hook off the 10^th tee led to a triple-bogey. A bogey on 11 followed before a three-whack from three feet saw McIlroy drop another two shots on the par-3 12^th.

At that point, it was as good as over. When all was said and done, McIlroy signed for an eight-over 80 to finish 10 back of Charl Schwartzel.

Jean van de Velde: 1999 Open

Golf makes you do daft things. The good thing for the majority of us amateurs is that very few people see us when the game has stripped us of all reason and logic.

The same can’t be said when you’re leading a major by three with one hole to play.

France’s Jean van de Velde needed a double-bogey or better on Carnoustie’s closer to win the game’s oldest championship but ended up holing a six-footer for a triple to force a play-off.

Which was incredible given he was standing in the Barry Burn in his bare feet with his trousers rolled up and his hands on his hips moments prior. 

An absolute comedy of errors cost the Frenchman the title outright and his fate was sealed when Paul Lawrie triumphed in the play-off.

Tom Watson: 2009 Open

Tom Watson nearly wrote one of the most incredible sporting stories at Turnberry in 2009. Nearly.

The 59-year-old rolled back the years at the scene of arguably his most iconic victory. Dubbed ‘The Duel in the Sun’, Watson battled Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry over an incredible final round, eventually prevailing by a single shot.

Fast forward 32 years and Watson stood on the final fairway needing a par to lift the Clarey Jug for a sixth time and become by far and away the oldest major champion in history.

When his approach shot left the club it looked perfect. Flag up the back of the green, Watson’s ball landed on the front. Perfect, surely. 

Nope. After a huge bounce, Watson was faced with a tricky up-and-down from over the back and he failed to convert, leaving his eight-footer for victory agonizingly short.

The bogey sent him into a four-hole play-off with Stewart Cink, where he ran out of gas and lost by six.

Greg Norman: 1996 Masters

Greg Norman’s Masters collapse in 1996 is almost as famous as any victory in the history of golf’s four majors. 

The Australian looked destined to slip into the green jacket when he started Sunday with a six-shot lead over Nick Faldo following rounds of 63, 69 and 71.

His advantage had been trimmed to three by the time he and the Englishman stepped on the 9^th tee before the Great White Shark dropped five shots in four holes around the turn to slip two back.

In the end, a closing 78 saw him lose by five to Faldo, who claimed his sixth and final major in style.

Whether you liked him or not, it was hard not to feel for Norman as he saw his dreams quickly turn into a nightmare in front of the world.

Colin Montgomerie: 2006 US Open

Monty suffered his fair share of major heartbreak, but none perhaps stung quite so much as the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot.

Having holed an absolute monster birdie putt on 17, the Scot had worked himself into a tie for the lead with Phil Mickelson at +4.

He then piped a drive right down the middle of the last. One solid iron shot into the middle of the green and a two-putt would have seen him claim a long-overdue maiden major.

Was it his time? No. He chunked his approach into the worst position possible, hacked his chip to about 50 feet and three-whacked for good measure. 

In the end, Geoff Ogilvy stumbled over the line as both Montgomerie and Mickelson handed the title to the Australian with closing doubles.

Rory McIlroy: 2024 US Open

Rory McIlroy’s quest for a fifth major looked like it was finally going to come to an end at the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst.

Four birdies in five holes from the 9^th gave him a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau with five to play, but his hopes were shattered in brutal fashion.

Three bogeys over his final four holes, including a missed four-footer in 18 opened the door for DeChambeau to win by one and lift his national championship for a second time.

Jordan Spieth: 2016 Masters

Jordan Spieth was aiming to become just the fourth player in history to successfully defend the Masters in 2016, joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo. 

And it looked nailed on when he led by five with nine to play but it all unravelled for the American on Golden Bell.

After finding the water twice, he racked up a quadruple-bogey seven and eventually lost by three as England’s Danny Willett stormed through to win his only major to date.

To make matters worse, as is tradition Spieth had to present Willett with the green jacket that should really have been his. 

Adam Scott: 2012 Open

Adam Scott’s wait for a first major looked set to come to an end at The Open in 2012. Navigating his way around the treacherous Royal Lytham & St Annes, the Australian led by three with four to play.

As history has shown, though, no lead is safe when it comes to the majors. 

From near delight to utter horror, Scott bogeyed his final four holes to lose by a shot to Ernie Els.