Colin Montgomerie
James Squire / Getty
Colin Montgomerie hits a tee shot on the fifth hole during the final round of the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York.
2006 Winged Foot Golf Club
Lost in Mickelson’s melodrama was Monty’s meltdown. The quick-witted Scot, widely considered the best golfer never to win a major championship, came tantalizingly close at Winged Foot. He nailed a 45-foot birdie putt on 17 to tie for the lead, and hit down the middle-drive on the final hole. But he over thought his approach shot — changing clubs at the last second — and left it short. His chip out of the rough sailed to the back of the green, and he missed his long par putt. Monty finished tied with Mickelson and Jim Furyk for second.
Next: Retief Goosen
Retief Goosen
Roberto Schmidt / AFP / Getty
Retief Goosen of Australia gestures after putting on the 3rh green during the third day of competition at the 105th U.S. Open Championship at the Pinehurst Country Club in Pinehurst, North Carolina, June 18, 2005.
2005 Pinehurst Resort and Country Club
With a three-stroke lead entering the round, the South African star Retief Goosen botched his chance at a third U.S. Open title by dropping six shots in the first nine holes. His first slip was a double bogey at No. 2 — the result of mishandling a simple chip shot. After that, Goosen says he couldn’t make a putt to save his life. Five more bogeys after the turn led to a dismal 81 and a share of 11th place at eight-over 288. His performance was all the more disappointing given the growing buzz about his career. While Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson dominated golf roundtables, Goosen was poised to become the new hot topic. His calamitous play at Pinehurst, however, stunned fans into silence.
Next: John Daly
