The 1999 Open Championship was the 128th Open Championship held from 15-18 July at the Carnoustie Golf Links

Carnoustie Golf Links

The Carnoustie Golf Links are in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. Its historic championship golf course is one of the venues in the Open Championship rotation.-History:...

 in Angus

Angus

Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. Paul Lawrie

Paul Lawrie

Paul Stewart Lawrie MBE is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999.-Life and career:...

 won his first major championship in a playoff over Jean van de Velde and Justin Leonard

Justin Leonard

Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...

. Lawrie, down by 10 strokes at the start of the fourth round, completed the biggest comeback in Open Championship history. The event was headlined by van de Velde's triple-bogey at the last hole.

The collapse

Van de Velde, who was in control through the latter half of the championship, held a seemingly insurmountable three-stroke lead going into the 72nd hole. He teed off with a driver, which was heavily criticized by the ABC broadcast team, and pushed his shot into the right rough of the 17th hole. He later claimed that he thought the lead was only two strokes, which is why he chose not to go with a safe club, such as an iron. His second shot was hit into an area of knee deep rough after his ball bounced backward 50 yards off the grandstand then off of a rock in the Barry Burn. Had the ball stayed in the grandstand he would have been able to drop without penalty. Then the thick Carnoustie grass stifled him again, as his third shot went into the burn in front of the green. Van de Velde took his shoes and socks off, entered the burn in an attempt to play the ball from the water. Moments later he decided to take a drop, at which point he hit his ball into one of the deep greenside bunkers. He pitched out safely and buried an eight footer for a triple-bogey. This forced the three-man playoff, which he eventually lost.

As nowadays, this hole is still widely considered to be the worst "choke" in golfing history, and some have even used the term "pulling a van de Velde" to describe similar events.

Neither van de Velde nor Lawrie has been in contention during the final round of a major since.

First round

#	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Rod Pampling Rod Pampling -Golf career:Pampling was born in Redcliffe in Queensland. He turned professional in 1994. He began tournament golf career on the PGA Tour of Australasia, where he won the 1999 Canon Challenge, and also spent time on the NGA Hooters Tour, a developmental tour in the United States...		71	E
T2	Scott Dunlap Scott Dunlap Scott Michael Dunlap is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the Nationwide Tour. He was previously a PGA Tour member.Dunlap was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...		72	+1
	Bernhard Langer Bernhard Langer Bernhard Langer is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion, and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 90s, being the first official number one ranked player in 1986...
T4	Dudley Hart Dudley Hart Howard Dudley Hart is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.-Early years:Hart was born in Rochester, New York...		73	+2
	Paul Lawrie Paul Lawrie Paul Stewart Lawrie MBE is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999.-Life and career:...
	Justin Leonard Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...
	Mark McNulty Mark McNulty Mark William McNulty is an Irish/Zimbabwean professional golfer currently playing on the Champions Tour. He was one of the leading players on the European Tour from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, and cracked the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 83 weeks from 1987 to 1992.McNulty...
	Len Mattiace Len Mattiace Leonard Earl "Len" Mattiace is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Mattiace was born in Mineola, New York. He attended Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1990 with a degree in Sociology. While at Wake Forest, he played on the...
	Steve Pate Steve Pate Stephen Robert Pate is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Pate was born in Ventura, California. He attended UCLA and was a member of the golf team; one teammate was Corey Pavin, who joined Pate on the PGA Tour. Pate helped lead the team to...
	Hal Sutton Hal Sutton Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year...

Second round

#	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Jean van de Velde		75-68=143	+1
2	Ángel Cabrera Angel Cabrera Ángel Cabrera is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. He is known affectionately as "El Pato" in Spanish or in English as "The duck" for his waddling gait. He is a former U.S. Open champion and Masters champion. He is the first Argentine to win either...		75-69=144	+2
3	Jesper Parnevik Jesper Parnevik Jesper Bo Parnevik is a Swedish professional golfer. He spent 38 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 2000 and 2001.-Early years:...		74-71=145	+3
T4	Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...		76-70=146	+4
	Patrik Sjöland Patrik Sjöland Patrik Sjöland is a Swedish professional golfer.Sjöland was born in Borås. He turned professional in 1990 and after several season on the second tier Challenge Tour, graduated to the European Tour for the start of the 1996 season...		74-72=146
	Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...		74-72=146
T7	Bradley Hughes Bradley Hughes (golfer) Bradley Hughes is an Australian professional golfer.Hughes was born in Melbourne. He turned pro in 1988. He has played on the PGA Tour of Australasia , European Tour , Japan Golf Tour , PGA Tour and Nationwide Tours . He has won five times in Australia and once in the United States...		76-71=147	+5
	Paul Lawrie Paul Lawrie Paul Stewart Lawrie MBE is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999.-Life and career:...		73-74=147
	Justin Leonard Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...		73-74=147
	Len Mattiace Len Mattiace Leonard Earl "Len" Mattiace is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Mattiace was born in Mineola, New York. He attended Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1990 with a degree in Sociology. While at Wake Forest, he played on the...		73-74=147
	Brian Watts Brian Watts Brian Peter Watts is an American professional golfer.Watts was born in Montreal, Canada to European parents, but is now a U.S. citizen who lives in Oklahoma. He played collegiately at Oklahoma State and won the NCAA Division I Championship in 1987.Watts turned professional in 1988. He played...		74-73=147

Amateurs: Donald

Luke Donald

Luke Campbell Donald is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he...

 (+14), Gribben (+18), Storm

Graeme Storm

Graeme Raymond Storm is an English professional golfer.Storm was born in Hartlepool. He learnt his trade at Hartlepool Golf Club, where he still holds the course record of 62...

 (+19), Scotland

Zane Scotland

Zane Scotland is an English professional golfer.Scotland was born in Manchester. In 1997 he won a competition to find a British Tiger Woods. He went on to have a successful amateur career, winning several tournaments and gaining many representative honours, in addition to becoming the youngest...

 (+21).

Third round

#	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Jean van de Velde		75-68-70=213	E
T2	Justin Leonard Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...		73-74-71=218	+5
	Craig Parry Craig Parry Craig David Parry is an Australian professional golfer. He has been one of Australia's premier golfers since turning professional in 1985, and has 23 career victories, two of those wins being events on the PGA Tour; the 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational and the 2004 Ford Championship at Doral.Parry was...		76-75-67=218
T4	Andrew Coltart Andrew Coltart Andrew John Coltart is a Scottish professional golfer.-Junior and amateur:Coltart was born in Dumfries. As an amateur, he won the 1987 Scottish Boys Championship and the 1991 Scottish Amateur Stroke Play Championship, and participated in the 1991 Walker Cup.-Professional:Coltart turned...		74-74-72=220	+7
	David Frost David Frost (golfer) David Laurence Frost is a South African professional golfer who has more than twenty professional tournament wins to his name, spread across four continents....		80-69-71=220
	Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...		74-72-74=220
T7	Ángel Cabrera Angel Cabrera Ángel Cabrera is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. He is known affectionately as "El Pato" in Spanish or in English as "The duck" for his waddling gait. He is a former U.S. Open champion and Masters champion. He is the first Argentine to win either...		68-71-76=221	+8
	Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...		76-70-75=221
T9	Bernhard Langer Bernhard Langer Bernhard Langer is a German professional golfer. He is a two-time Masters champion, and was one of the world's leading golfers throughout the 1980s and 90s, being the first official number one ranked player in 1986...		72-77-73=222	+9
	Miguel Ángel Martín		74-76-72=222
	Len Mattiace Len Mattiace Leonard Earl "Len" Mattiace is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Mattiace was born in Mineola, New York. He attended Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. He graduated from Wake Forest University in 1990 with a degree in Sociology. While at Wake Forest, he played on the...		73-74-75=222
	Colin Montgomerie Colin Montgomerie Colin Stuart Montgomerie, OBE is a Scottish professional golfer, often referred to by one of his nicknames 'Monty'. He has had one of the finest careers in European Tour history, having won a record eight Order of Merit titles, including a streak of seven consecutively from 1993 to 1999, and 31...		74-76-72=222
	Frank Nobilo Frank Nobilo Frank Ivan Joseph Nobilo, CNZM is a professional golfer from New Zealand.Nobilo had a successful playing career, winning 15 pro tournaments around the world...		76-76-70=222

Final leaderboard

#	Player	Country	Score	To par	Winnings
1	Paul Lawrie Paul Lawrie Paul Stewart Lawrie MBE is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999.-Life and career:... *		73-74-76-67=290	+6	£350,000
T2	Justin Leonard Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...		73-74-71-72=290		£185,000
	Jean van de Velde		75-68-70-77=290
T4	Ángel Cabrera Angel Cabrera Ángel Cabrera is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the European Tour and PGA Tour. He is known affectionately as "El Pato" in Spanish or in English as "The duck" for his waddling gait. He is a former U.S. Open champion and Masters champion. He is the first Argentine to win either...		75-69-77-70=291	+7	£100,000
	Craig Parry Craig Parry Craig David Parry is an Australian professional golfer. He has been one of Australia's premier golfers since turning professional in 1985, and has 23 career victories, two of those wins being events on the PGA Tour; the 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational and the 2004 Ford Championship at Doral.Parry was...		76-75-67-73=291
6	Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...		76-70-75-72=293	+9	£70,000
T7	David Frost David Frost (golfer) David Laurence Frost is a South African professional golfer who has more than twenty professional tournament wins to his name, spread across four continents....		80-69-71-74=294	+10	£50,000
	Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...		74-72-74-74=294
	Davis Love III Davis Love III Davis Milton Love III is an American professional golfer.Love was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina before turning professional in 1985. He earned his PGA Tour card in the fall of 1985, on his first attempt. He quickly established himself on the PGA...		74-74-77-69=294
T10	Hal Sutton Hal Sutton Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year...		73-78-72-72=295	+11	£34,800
	Scott Dunlap		72-77-76-70=295
	Jim Furyk Jim Furyk James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing...		78-71-76-70=295
	Retief Goosen Retief Goosen Retief Goosen is a South African professional golfer who has been in the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for over 250 weeks between 2001 and 2007. His main achievements have been two U.S...		76-75-73-71=295
	Jesper Parnevik Jesper Parnevik Jesper Bo Parnevik is a Swedish professional golfer. He spent 38 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 2000 and 2001.-Early years:...		74-71-78-72=295

*Lawrie (5-4-3-3=15) defeated Leonard (5-4-4-5=18) and van de Velde (6-4-3-5=18) in a four-hole playoff.

External links

• Summary and full results