One Hand on the Claret Jug: How They Nearly Won the Open

By: Norman Dabell

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Synopsis: Everyone remembers a winner, especially when victory comes in the oldest major golf championship in the world. But what about the players who got to the brink and then let the ancient trophy slip through their fingers? The Open has always featured triumph and disaster since it began in 1860 and this book is all about the latter of those 'two impostors'. From Doug Sanders' missed three-footer in 1970 to Monty's brave bid to finally end his major wait in 2005, at last the Open's hard-luck stories can be told. What happened when the chips were down for Tony Jacklin and how did it affect his major chances from then on? Whose 'air-shot' possibly cost him the Open? Why did Tom Watson hit a two-iron at the Road Hole? How could a marshal have cost Bernhard Langer his best chance of winning an Open? Why didn't Jesper Parnevik check the leaderboard in 1994? Who had a vision he was going to sink one of the most famous putts in Open history? Why did Jean Van de Velde have such a nightmare at the Barry Burn at Carnoustie in 1999? Read about those who had one hand on the Claret Jug but, in the end, didn't lift it in triumph.