Memories of Van de Velde
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There'll be no fairytale return to The Open Championship at Carnoustie for Jean Van de Velde, the luckless Frenchman who tossed his hopes of an outrageous major title into the Barry Burn eight years ago.
Famously he lost a three-stroke lead on the final hole the last time the tournament was held at the Scottish links course in 1999, and the world gasped as he paddled in the water pluckily trying to salvage pride from the jaws of indignity.
He needed only a double bogey six at the last to claim an unlikely victory but contrived to take seven and let in Justin Leonard and eventual winner Paul Lawrie for a dramatic play-off.
If it wasn't so laughable we'd have shed tears for him and his stupid blunder which will go down in history as one of the most dramatic finishes to a major golf tournament.
Now based in Dubai, Van de Velde had hoped to reclaim his place in the Carnoustie line-up with a good finish in the French open in Paris, but a first round 78 put paid to that and then he pulled out of this week's last minute, 36-hole Open qualifier at Sunningdale - struck down with a mystery illness.?
?Said his manager Jamie Cunningham: "Jean is massively disappointed to pull out but he has to see a specialist in London the following day and the most important thing is obviously for him to get healthy again.
It's a long shot but his only hope is to earn the one Open place on offer at the Scottish Open which is played at Loch Lomond the previous week.
Van de Velde, who won on Tour last year, said he first felt the effects at the Portuguese Open in April.
"I was feeling very tired. I had pains in my muscles and was physically sick on occasions. I had some good days and some bad days. There is no problem with my game technically, but I find that I hit about 30 balls and have to stop. I have undergone a lot of tests but the doctors are still not sure."
Two further exemptions into The Open were decided this week when Geordie
Graham Storm and Welshman Bradley Dredge claimed the top two places from a cumulative money list of European Tour events upto July 1.
Storm, who claimed a place in the 1999 Carnoustie Open when he won that year's Amateur Championship secured the French Open title, his maiden Tour victory, with a final round of 66 in Paris.
Tell us on the forum what dramatic moments you recall of previous Open Championships.
