Golf is one of the most mentally demanding sports, and when the pressure builds, even the best players can collapse. Whether it’s a missed short putt, a disastrous final hole, or an epic Sunday meltdown, these moments left players and fans alike wondering, what just happened?
From major championship heartbreaks to historic late-round collapses, here are the 15 biggest chokes in golf history.
15. Scott Hoch’s Missed Putt – 1989 Masters
Hoch had a two-foot putt to win the Masters but somehow missed it, handing Nick Faldo another chance. Faldo didn’t waste the opportunity, winning in a playoff and cementing Hoch’s place in golf’s all-time heartbreak club.
14. Adam Scott’s Collapse – 2012 Open Championship
Scott looked destined to win his first major when he led by four shots with four holes to play. Then disaster struck—four straight bogeys let Ernie Els swoop in for an improbable victory.
13. Greg Norman’s Lost Lead – 1996 Masters
Norman entered the final round with a six-shot lead, but by the time it was over, he had lost by five. It remains the gold standard for Masters meltdowns, as he shot a brutal 78 while Nick Faldo cruised past him.
12. Phil Mickelson’s Wild Finish – 2006 U.S. Open
All Mickelson had to do was play it safe on the 18th hole, but instead, he pulled out his driver and sent his tee shot into the trees. A series of poor decisions followed, leading to a double-bogey and one of the most agonizing losses of his career.
11. Jordan Spieth’s Amen Corner Disaster – 2016 Masters
Spieth had a five-shot lead with nine holes to play, but two water balls on the 12th hole led to a quadruple bogey. In a matter of minutes, his Masters dreams vanished as Danny Willett took advantage of the shocking collapse.
10. Jean van de Velde’s 18th Hole Nightmare – 1999 Open Championship
Needing only a double bogey to win, Van de Velde found the rough, the water, and even a grandstand on his way to an all-time disaster. He triple-bogeyed the hole and lost in a playoff, forever remembered for his collapse rather than his brilliant week.
9. Rory McIlroy’s Augusta Meltdown – 2011 Masters
McIlroy had a four-shot lead entering the final round but completely imploded on the back nine. His tee shot on the 10th hole landed near some cabins, and his final-round 80 turned his dominant week into a nightmare.
8. Doug Sanders’ Missed Putt – 1970 Open Championship
Needing to sink a three-footer to win The Open, Sanders rushed his stroke and pushed it wide. Jack Nicklaus won the playoff the next day, and Sanders was left with one of the most painful near-misses in major history.
7. Dustin Johnson’s Bunker Confusion – 2010 PGA Championship
Johnson held a one-shot lead on the 72nd hole but unknowingly grounded his club in a bunker, earning a two-stroke penalty. The mistake knocked him out of a playoff and left him bewildered about what just happened.
6. Thomas Bjorn’s Bunker Nightmare – 2003 Open Championship
Bjorn had a two-shot lead with three holes to play but needed three attempts to escape a greenside bunker on the 16th. His meltdown allowed Ben Curtis, an unheralded longshot, to steal the Claret Jug.
5. Arnold Palmer’s U.S. Open Collapse – 1966
Palmer had a seven-shot lead with nine holes to play but let Billy Casper storm back and force a playoff. Casper won the next day, and Palmer’s legendary career was left without another U.S. Open title.
4. Jason Day’s Final-Hole Disaster – 2015 Open Championship
Day had a putt to join the playoff but inexplicably left it short, barely even giving it a chance. The moment summed up his major heartbreaks before he finally broke through later in his career.
3. Scottie Scheffler’s Back Nine Struggles – 2023 PGA Championship
Scheffler was in control until an uncharacteristic run of bogeys let others back into the mix. He never recovered, missing out on a golden chance to add another major to his resume.
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2. Colin Montgomerie’s Brutal U.S. Open Finish – 2006
Montgomerie had a golden chance to win his first major, sitting in the fairway on the 18th hole. But a poor approach and three-putt later, he walked off the green in disbelief, still majorless.
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1. Greg Norman’s Many Meltdowns
Norman didn’t just have one bad collapse—he had several. From Augusta to the Open Championship, his career was filled with near-misses that cemented his reputation as golf’s most famous hard-luck loser.
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