A blunder for the ages Click here for more on this story Posted: Monday July 19, 1999 09:11 AM   French toast: Jean Van de Velde tried to be a hero and lost a chance to be a champion. AP By Gary Van Sickle, Sports Illustrated CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- Jean Van de Velde is France's greatest golfer -- practically France's only golfer -- but he will be forever known as the man who lost the British Open after virtually having the Old Claret Jug in his hands. What Van de Velde did at Carnoustie's 18th hole may go down as the biggest blunder in golf history -- at least, right among the biggest. He came to the 18th tee with a three-shot lead. All he had to do to win was make double bogey. But he and his caddie made a strategic error: Van de Velde never should have hit driver off the tee. He should have played the 487-yard hole as a par-5, a three-shot hole. Just hit five-iron off the tee; lay up to the Barry Burn, the water hazard in front of the green, with a nine-iron; hit sand wedge on the green; and three-putt for the victory. Instead, Van de Velde hit driver in the fairway, realized he could reach the green in two and went for the green when he didn't need to. He pushed the shot to the right. His ball hit the grandstands and bounced back across the water. His third shot barely got out of the rough and splashed down. After a drop, he eventually got up and down for a triple-bogey 7, the worst final-hole collapse in modern golf history. "I was feeling for him coming up to the 18th green," said Australian Craig Parry, who was paired with him. "I could see him throwing the tournament away." There have been other questionable choices in major championships in the last few years -- Chip Beck laying up at the Masters, Tom Lehman hitting one-iron off the 18th tee at the Masters; Lehman hitting driver off the 18th tee at the 1996 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills; Ernie Els not checking the scoreboard on the 18th tee at Oakmont in the '94 U.S. Open; and Jesper Parnevik doing likewise at Turnberry in the '94 British Open. But Van de Velde's decision will sadly go down in history as possibly the worst. Gary Van Sickle is a Sports Illustrated senior writer.   Related information Stories Scot wins British Open in four-hole playoff Leaders' scorecards Multimedia Click here for the latest audio and video Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.

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