Written by: Brent Kelley

https://www.thoughtco.com/top-worst-golf-chokes-and-collapses-1564481

Choking is something that every golfer, even the greatest golfers (well, except for Jack Nicklaus), does at one time or another. Sometimes, the pressure just gets to you and you can’t execute the shots you want to hit, or you start making poor decisions.

When those breakdowns happen late in big tournaments, they are remembered for a long time to come. The collapses on this list are such animals.

THE BIGGEST CHOKES IN GOLF HISTORY
Here are our picks for the 10 worst chokes or collapses in golf history.

10. Ed Sneed, 1979 Masters
Sneed was a solid player for many years and the 1979 Masters was his best shot at a major.

He began the final round with a 5-stroke lead and kept a lead of at least several strokes through most of the day.

Then, things fell apart. With a 3-shot lead and three holes to play, Sneed proceeded to bogey the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes.

His par putts on 16 and 17 stopped right on the lip. On No. 18, Sneed again came agonizingly close.

The par would have won him a Green Jacket. But with a bogey – and a 76 total for the fourth round – Sneed fell into a playoff, which he lost to Fuzzy Zoeller.

9. Lorena Ochoa, 2005 U.S. Wo​men’s Open
Ochoa hit one of the worst drives ever at a critical time in a major tournament. It happened on the 18th hole at the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open. She had rallied throughout the day from well back and was in a position to win, or at least get into a playoff.

The 18th hole at Cherry Hills required the players to aim right, cutting off part of a lake and carrying the ball to the fairway. Ochoa’s drive never even sniffed land.

Her driver hit the ground a couple inches behind the ball – taking a divot – then bounced up into the ball. The ball shot left and dove into the water. To make matters worse, Ochoa’s second drive found the rough, then her approach to the green went into the grandstands. She quadruple-bogeyed No. 18 and finished four shots back.

8. Phil Mickelson, 2006 U.S. Open
Mickelson started his career 0-for-46 in majors, then changed his approach. He dialed back the aggression and started making much better course management decisions. And it paid off: He entered the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot going for his fourth career major and third in a row.

And he almost got it. But then he reverted to his previous form. His driver deserted him all through the final round (he even hit into a trash can on No. 17), yet he kept hitting it, and his decision-making deserted him on the final hole.

Mickelson had a 1-stroke lead as he stood on the 18th tee. Despite hitting only two fairways all day, he pulled the driver again. And again, he missed – only this time badly, his drive hitting the roof of a hospitality tent and bounding into the spectator area.

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Music: Maggie Rogers

Pictures courtesy of:
Phil Mickelson,
Golfdigest.com
linkslifegolf.com
clickon.co
Golf.com

Video Courtesy of:

1979 Masters
kingy22361

Lorena Ochoa Documentary Trailer
Christopher Vitiello

1991 Ryder Cup: Bernhard Langer’s putt on the 18th green at Kiawah
Ryder Cup

1991 Ryder Cup Singles – Monty v. Calc
MrSupergolfer

Adam Scott One Awful Hour
NewsLosAngeles

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