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Top 10: (Really) Short putts that the pros have missed

published: Nov 3, 2015

|

updated: Oct 3, 2023

Top 10: (Really) Short putts that the pros have missed

Craig MiddletonLink

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Ever missed a tiddler? It happens to us all but reading this should make you feel better

Top 10: (Really) Short putts that the pros have missed

Tee to green, 500 yards and more, no problem. It’s just that final few feet that let us down.

Take a look at these top professionals showing us that no matter how many Major titles you have, getting the ball to drop can often be almost impossible.

10- Charl Schwartzel- 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship

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The South African 4-putted from inside of 5-feet on the 18th hole which cost him approximately $19,000. Let’s not forget this man won the Masters!

Watch the video here

9- Rory McIlroy- 2014 BMW Championship

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The Northern Irishman had a nightmare on the par-3 12th hole during the BMW Championship. He four-putted in consecutive rounds. Painful for the 4-time Major Champion.

Watch McIlroy’s first meltdown here

And now his second!

8- Retief Goosen- 2001 U.S Open

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After watching Stewart Cink double-bogey the final hole, Goosen had two putts to win the U.S Open. He blew his first putt by and agonisingly missed the return par putt. He went on to win in the 18-hole playoff the following day against Mark Brooks.

Watch the memorable final Sunday events here

7- Michael Clayton- The ‘infamous putt’

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One of the most famous putting catastrophes here – Australian Michael Clayton shows us how not to behave on the putting green.

Watch the video here

6- Dustin Johnson- 2015 U.S Open

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With one putt to win his first Major Championship, and two putts to force a playoff against Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson misses his return birdie putt from three feet. Will he ever get over the line?

Watch the video here 

5- Scott Hoch- 1989 Masters

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In the first playoff hole of the 1989 Masters, Scott Hoch had a 2-foot putt to beat Nick Faldo and get that coveted Green Jacket. Things however don’t always go to plan…

Watch the ‘sudden death stunner’ here

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4- IK Kim- 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship

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At the 2012 Nabisco Championship IK Kim only had a 1-foot putt left to clinch the Major title. However nerves got the better of her as she watched her ball lip out and roll back to her feet.

Watch Kim’s shock here


3- Ernie Els- 2015 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

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The third South African to make this unwanted top 10 list. The Big Easy completely misses the hole from little more than a foot during the Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie.


Watch Ernie miss from 6 inches here

2- Doug Sanders- 1970 Open Championship

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After saving par from the Road Hole Bunker on the 17th, Doug Sanders had a 3-foot putt on the final hole to win the Claret Jug ahead of Jack Nicklaus. What happened next though would go down in history.

Watch Sanders throw it away at St Andrews here

1- Hennie Otto- 2005 Nashua Masters

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Mr Otto can have no real complaints about finding himself at number one in the list. After missing his first putt he takes a wild air shot at the ball, settles down for the next putt and has big trouble in getting the ball to drop.

Watch Otto lose his cool on the green here

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