Best open moment

Published on Wednesday 18 July 2007 01:26

1 SEVE BALLESTEROS'S PUTT ON THE 18TH

St Andrews, 1984

St Andrews Old Course was playing hard and long. Seve was in his prime. Tom Watson was hot on his heels but struggling on the 17th after hitting his shot too well, over the back of the green and on to the tarmac road behind. Seve's fiery personality, swashbuckling good looks and risk-taking style had won the hearts of Europe and transformed the game. Here he was, on the 18th, hovering over his putt. The entire golfing world held its breath as the ball rolled languidly to the hole and dropped in.

Seve punched the air and gave one of the greatest celebrations in golf history.

2 DUEL IN THE SUN: WATSON VERSUS NICKLAUS

Turnberry, 1977

Regarded by many as the greatest Open ever, Turnberry's first championship witnessed the "duel in the sun". In the soaring heat, Watson and Nicklaus fought shot by shot, hole by hole over the last two rounds. This match saw two giants at their best, neither afraid to take risks. Whenever one birdied, the other followed. Whenever one put the ball close to the hole, the other followed. Watson went on to win by one shot ahead of Jack; but ten ahead of the rest.

Scotland had surely hosted one of the best games in golf history.

3 DOUG SANDERS'S MISSED PUTT

St Andrews, 1970

Imagine if you had a 30-inch putt to win the Open. How nervous would you feel? Now imagine the putt with thousands standing around the green and millions watching on TV. Most of us weekend golfers get a touch wobbly if someone stops to watch us play. Poor Doug Sanders has been immortalised for the putt that never was. The left- to-right downhill putt is the most nerve-racking in golf. To soothe the bitterness of the missed putt, who did he face in the play off on the following day? A strident Jack Nicklaus.

4 JEAN VAN DE VELDE'S SINKING FEELING

Carnoustie, 1999

Jean van de Velde, the rookie Frenchman, only needed to double-bogey the 18th to win. Simple golf from tee to green. Unfortunately, that is not what happened. Standing in the middle of the fairway after a so-so drive, he had two options: he could lay up short of the Barry burn, pitch on to the green and enjoy being the title-holder (the good option); or, as van de Velde went for (the bad option), take a two-iron, drive it into the stands, pitch it into the water, climb into the water, climb out of the water, pitch into a bunker, pitch out of the bunker and hole a good putt to take part in a play-off... which he lost to Paul Lawrie.

5 GREG NORMAN'S FIRST MAJOR

Turnberry, 1986

Norman was the nearly-man for so long. His debut major win came largely on the back of a course record-equalling 63 on day two and a fighting third round 74 in a gale. Norman strolled the last two holes of the championship and won by five. He was able to savour the moment and was given a standing ovation from crowds and players alike.