My Five: Biggest Ryder Cup Goats

By Jaime Diaz Photos by Getty Images

October 05, 2010

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Costantino Rocca0-2 record at The Belfry, 1993 (U.S. wins 15-13)Costantino RoccaHidden by captain Bernard Gallacher until the Saturday afternoon four-balls, the first Italian ever in the Ryder Cup played Davis Love in the seventh match of the singles. With Europe needing only 2 ½ points in the final six matches to win the cup, Rocca was 1 up on the 17th hole, and had a 20-footer to win his match. Instead, he three-putted to lose the hole, nervously rushing a three-footer. Rocca then drove poorly on the 18th and bogeyed to lose, 1 up. Said one German fan, "Italy cost us two world wars. Now they have cost us the Ryder Cup."

Curtis Strange0-3 record at Oak Hill, 1995 (Europe wins 14 ½ to 13 ½)Curtis StrangeA controversial captain's pick by Lanny Wadkins, Strange faced Nick Faldo in the singles in the eighth match of the match of the day. Strange was 1 up on the 16th tee, but bogeyed the next two. With the match even on difficult par 4 18th, Faldo drove poorly and was forced to lay up. Strange had a 3-iron second from the fairway, but mishit it, leaving it short in greenside rough. Faldo then hit a superb pitch from 90 yards to within four feet. Strange chipped to eight feet, but with the Americans only needing a half in the match to retain the cup, missed his putt. Faldo then holed the backbreaker.

Peter Alliss0-2 record at Wentworth, 1953 (US wins 6 ½ to 5 ½)Peter AllissOnly 22 and playing in his first of eight Ryder Cups, Alliss came to the par-4 18th all even against Jim Turnesa. A win would have tied the matches with two singles matches left. Thirty-five yards from the hole in two, the Englishman chunked his chip short, then failed to get up and down, his double bogey losing to Turnesa's bogey. When, in the next match Bernard Hunt three-putted the 18th to lose 1 up and become a co-culprit, Europe's chance to win for the first time since 1933 was gone. "It took me years to get over that," said Alliss (left at 1973 British Open).

Fred Couples0-2 record at The Belfry, 1989 (14 to 14, Europe retains Ryder Cup)Fred CouplesIn his first Ryder Cup, Couples admitted, "Even in practice you're nervous. Your stomach never stops churning." In a tense singles match against Christy O'Connor Jr., Couples missed a four-foot birdie putt on the 17th that would have insured at least half a point. He then bombed a drive off the 18th, leaving only a 9-iron to the green. O'Connor had a 2-iron left, but walking up the final fairway, he had been encouraged by European captain Tony Jacklin, who confided, "If you put him under pressure, I promise you will win the hole and the match." O'Connor hit his shot to four feet, and Couples pushed his 9-iron far to the right of the green, from where he bogeyed for a shocking loss.

Ben Crenshaw0-3 at Muirfield Village, 1987 (Europe wins 15-13)Ben CrenshawAfter losing twice in pairs, Crenshaw faced Eamonn Darcy of Ireland, winless in 10 previous Ryder Cup matches, in the eighth match. After three-putting the sixth hole to fall two holes down, Crenshaw slammed down his putter -- the famed "Lil' Ben" -- and snapped the shaft. "It was like somebody shot me," he later said. Crenshaw putted the rest of the match with either a sand wedge or a 1-iron, battling back to go 1 up on the 17th hole. But he left his third shot in a bunker and conceded, and then hooked his drive off the 18th into a stream. Scrambling, Crenshaw used his 1-iron to make a six-footer for a bogey. But Darcy managed to shake in a downhill four-footer for the match.

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My Five: Biggest Ryder Cup Goats

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