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British Open 2017: 5 best moments in history

By John Buhler

24 JUL 1995: JOHN DALY OF THE USA POSES WITH THE TROPHY ON THE FAMOUS Swilken Bridge ON THE 18TH FAIRWAY ON THE MORNING AFTER WINNING THE 1995 OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE OLD COURSE AT ST. ANDREWS, FIFE, SCOTLAND. Mandatory Credit: J.D. Cuban/ALLSPORT
24 JUL 1995: JOHN DALY OF THE USA POSES WITH THE TROPHY ON THE FAMOUS Swilken Bridge ON THE 18TH FAIRWAY ON THE MORNING AFTER WINNING THE 1995 OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE OLD COURSE AT ST. ANDREWS, FIFE, SCOTLAND. Mandatory Credit: J.D. Cuban/ALLSPORT /
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Padraig Harrington, winner British Open Golf, 2008, Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan (Photo by Cathal Noonan/INPHO via Getty Images)
Padraig Harrington, winner British Open Golf, 2008, Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Cathal Noonan (Photo by Cathal Noonan/INPHO via Getty Images) /

4. Padraig Harrington wins while Sergio Garcia collapses – 2007

For about a two-year window, Irishman Padraig Harrington won all three of his major tournaments to date. He would win The Open Championship in back-to-back years in 2007 and 2008, taking home a third major in the 2008 PGA Championship as well. However, his most notable tournament victory to date was a horror show for another top-tier golfer in Sergio Garcia.

Garcia has just won the 2017 Masters Tournament, but he was first a promising golfer coming out of Spain. He just had a slight problem with closing out tournaments on the green. His struggles in the 2007 British Open were well documented, as Harrington prevailed in Garcia’s demise on Sunday at Carnoustie.

Garcia led through every round of the 2007 Open Championship. He would shoot an impressive 65 (-6) on Thursday before holding serve on Friday. Garcia extended his Open Championship lead to -9 through Saturday. He would lead second-place Steve Stricker by three strokes heading into the final round. This was his tournament to lose and he did just that.

In Round 4, Garcia would shoot a +2, while Harrington would come out of the woodwork and shoot an excellent 67 (-4) to force a four-hole playoff with Garcia. The four holes in that playoff were 1, 16, 17 and 18 at Carnoustie. As Harrington would birdie No. 1 in the playoff, Garcia would bogey that hole. Though he would par the remaining three playoff holes, it would be Harrington who hoisted the Claret Jug at the end of the day, winning by just one stroke after bogeying No. 18.

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