The Open Championship has seen its fair share of leaders collapses. While many of these players recover from defeats to go on and win major titles, others are mainly remembered for coming so close to lifting the famous Claret Jug.
2012: Adam Scott (Royal Lytham and St Annes)
The Australian seemed on course to win his first major title in 2012. He led the Open by four shots with just four holes to play. All he needed to do was par each hole to lift the Claret Jug. He somehow bogeyed 15, 16, 17 and 18 as Ernie Els lifted the trophy for the second time beating Scott by a shot. The Australian bounced back to win the Masters in 2013.
2003: Thomas Bjorn (Royal St. George's)
The Dane was in a very similar position to that of Adam Scott. He led by three shots with four to play at Royal St George’s. He bogeyed the 15th but will always be remembered for what happened at the following hole.
It took him three attempts to get out of a green side bunker after twice pitching onto the green only for the ball to roll back down the slope towards him. Another bogey followed on the 17th and the unknown American Ben Curtis was victorious.
1999: Jean van de Velde (Carnoustie)
If Jean van de Velde was to win numerous majors, he would always be remembered for his implosion at Carnoustie in 1999. A double bogey was enough for the French man to claim the trophy, but after a trip to the Barry Burn, van de Velde triple bogeyed the hole and found himself in a three man play off.
He was joined by former champion Justin Leonard and local play Paul Lawrie for the four hole shootout. Lawrie was to be victorious and remains the last Scot to the The Open title.
1970: Doug Sanders (St Andrews)
Sanders twice finished second at The Open, but the American will always be remembered for the final green at St Andrews in 1970.
In scenes similar to Dustin Johnson's collapse at the US Open last month, Sanders had two putts on the final green to win the trophy. He took an eternity to line up a short putt to the right to win the trophy and eventually lost a play off to Jack Nicklaus.
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