Let's face facts here. We all know what happened at Augusta National on Sunday night. Rory McIlroy bottled it. It seems harsh on a 21 year-old who still truly has the world at his feet and the potential to go on and be one of golf's all-time greats. Emphasis on the word "potential" there, for nothing is set in stone in this most unpredictable of sports. But for some reason, having played with such calm assurance for three days, his game fell apart, no more noticeably at the triple-bogey 10th. Not even Amen Corner could conjure up a divine intervention. In the end, McIlroy ended up back with the pack, whilst Charl Schwartzel played a superb round, making use of some seriously good fortune and terrific strokeplay to make the most of Rory's implosion and win his first Green Jacket.
There can be no explanation othert than that there were demons in McIlroy's mind that affected his game in the highest of pressure situations. Thankfully, there are other stories from sport that show that blowing a four shot lead is just another chapter in bottling the big occasion. He is by no means alone:
Jean Van de Velde makes a splash at Carnoustie: It's 1999. This was actually my first ever memory of golf as a televised sport (I had obviously enjoyed the crazy golf courses of Paignton and the surrounding area before the age of 9!). The Open Championship looked to be heading to a shock conclusion with Frenchman van de Velde needing only a double-bogey at the 18th to seal the Claret Jug. Rather than playing safe, VdV (it's easier than typing the whole thing out) decided to drive off the tee, finding the rough. Rather than laying up, he goes for the green in two, hits the grandstand and ends up in the deep stuff. Then finds the Barry Burn. Then finds a bunker. He was lucky to make the putt that took the Open into a three-way playoff with Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie. VdV lost, Lawrie won. Total and utter catastrophe for the Frenchman. McIlroy lost a Major in one round - van de Velde lost it on one hole!
See also: Greg Norman at the 1996 Masters - failing to capitalise on a course-record 63 and a six shot lead going into the last day, only to lose by 5 to Nick Faldo (this collapse is actually compared to McIlroy's on The Great White Shark's Wikipedia!)
Snatching parity from the jaws of victory: It's still 1999. This time we're at Edgbaston for the Cricket World Cup semi-final between Australia and South Africa. Hey, it's a piece on bottling it, you've got to include the Proteas! Australia have been restricted to a modest 213, thanks to Shaun Pollock 5 wicket haul. A 50 from a younger but no less chunky Jacques Kallis took South Africa close to their target, with Lance Klusener bludgeoning them to 205-9 going into the final over. The first ball was smashed for four. So was the second. The third was hit straight to Mark Waugh, with Allan Donald, the non-striker, nearly run out backing up. The fourth was also hit to Waugh, with Klusener charging down the track to pick up the winning run. Donald didn't move. Eventually Adam Gilchrist whipped off the bails with Donald stranded, the match tied. Australia advance to the final on net run rate from the Super Sixes stage and didn't lose another World Cup match until this year. Funnily enough, the Aussies only just scraped past the Saffers in the Super Sixes, with Steve Waugh making a match-winning 120* having been dropped by Herschelle Gibbs early on. "You just dropped the World Cup mate". How prophetic.
See also: 2003 World Cup. South Africa need one off the last ball before an inevitable rain delay to be ahead on Duckworth/Lewis. Mark Boucher is instructed by skipper Pollock, who failed to do his sums properly, to block the ball. Another tie and another ignominious exit. Idiots.
Don't You Just Love it? - People forget that Newcastle used to be quite good. Like actually quite good, when they could get by on Kevin Keegan's enthusiasm alone. All the excitability, couple with the excellence of Les Ferdinand and David Ginola saw them hold a 12-point lead atop the Premiership going into February. Then it all went down the drain. They lost by a solitary goal to Manchester United, as Fergie's men gradually reeled them in, prompting KK's infamous "I would love it if we beat them" rant. They didn't beat them. The key game was the 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, having been 3-2 up, Stan Collymore hit the winner in injury time. They were still level with United with two games to go, but the psychological damage had been done.
See also: Liverpool 1989. 1-1 against second place Arsenal in injury time, league title sewn up. DON'T LET MICHAEL THOMAS SCORE! Oh shit...
Gyan pays the penalty (not quite Andreas Escobar's, but hey) - It was a classic encounter between two unfancied team who lit up a dull tournament in the Rainbow Nation. Ghana were left representing African hopes and had sent a continent into rapture with Sulley Muntari's long-range screamer on the stroke of half-time. This lead was cancelled out by a typical cracker from Diego Forlan and the remainder of normal and extra time remained relatively incident free. Until the 120th minute. Luis Suarez blocked a goalbound header on the line. Penalty. Red card (not that it mattered). Up stepped Asamoah Gyan, a relative unknown before the tournament, but a star now after some impressive displays. The penalty rebounded off the crossbar and a shootout ensued. Gyan scored his second spot kick but his teammates couldn't follow suit and Ghana crashed out. Liverpool vs Sunderland matches now have an extra edge to them...
See also: John Terry falling on his arse and hitting a post with a chance to win that elusive Champions League title from the spot for his beloved Chelsea. Nicolas Anelka did the rest to hand another crown to Manchester United. And Martyn Williams shanking his kick for Cardiff Blues in a Heineken Cup semi-final shootout against Leicester.
No Tim, No - It all looked perfect back in the summer of 2001. Sampras had been knocked out by some young bloke called Federer, eliminating Tiger Tim's greatest nemesis. All that stood in his way of a final against notoriously flaky Aussie Pat Rafter was veteran wildcard Goran Ivanisevic. Having lost a first-set tie break, Henman turned on the style that he was always blessed with to blow Goran out of the water in the next two sets, taking the third 6-0, with the Croat scrabbling around for some hope. It arrived in the form of the British summer. Rain. Thankfully minus Cliff Richard. Goran had some respite and re-emerged a different player, edging out a tie-break in the 4th before completing the comeback 6-3. He went on to win Wimbledon, a fairytale if ever there was one. Henman never got a better chance to win Wimbledon and repay the faith the British public put in him year after year after year
See also: Henman's numerous other Wimbledon exits over the years. And most of Andy Murray's, including those three other Grand Slam finals. He'll win a set one day.
RM
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