Following on from the controversial decision by the USGA over Dustin Johnson causing his ball to move on the 5th green at the US Open, and rather late and looming one-stroke penalty he received. Commentators and sportsmen alike were outraged by the official’s decision, or more indecision over the incident. What followed was one of the most hotly debated controversies concerning rules in major championships history. Everybody said the USGA would be to blame if DJ failed to follow-through with the one-shot penalty pending in his periphery, but he did lift the trophy and took the title, thankfully. The whole DJ rules saga prompted us to look back on the most memorable golf shot misses.

Here are the worst misses in golf history:

Bernhard Langer misses a 6-foot putt to win the Ryder Cup

[caption id="attachment_3262" align="aligncenter" width="615"] Image credit to: walesonline.co.uk[/caption]

In 1991, at the 29th Ryder Cup match held in late September, Bernhard Langer was poised to clinch a 14-all tie and keep hold of the Ryder Cup for Europe. He had a six-foot putt standing between him and victory, and between the home crowd’s chants of “U.S.A! U.S.A!” and the cloudy Kiawah sun, he pulled the putt and handed victory to the Americans, after eight years without a win. His famous shot became known as the Langer clanger. The War of the Shore was won on one missed shot by the German, it has all the plot of a WWII remake. 

Jordan Spieth on the 12th at Augusta

Jordan Spieth was leading the field at the US Masters on the final day of the first major of the year. He held a 5 shot lead after the 10th hole that dreaded Sunday and was looking like he was on for his second Masters win in consecutive years. He was to become the youngest player in Masters history to claim three majors. But with all that resting on his shoulders, he played out a disastrous 7-shot self-destruction on the 12th hole at Augusta, almost sealing his fate, which young Danny Willet made sure of with an impeccable closing round of 67. No-one wanted to see Jordan lose like that, but with age on his side, we’re sure we’ll see him fighting for another Masters title in the not too distant future.

Scott Hoch at the 1989 Masters

The 1989 Masters saw a great battle play out between two golfing legends, Scott Hoch and Nick Faldo. Seve Ballesteros also featured at that historical Masters year, finishing fifth place, and two shots behind the closing couple, after putting on a quintessential Seve birdie performance, which saw him drive into the trees, hit a beautiful recovery iron shot, duff into a greenside bunker then hole out from the sand. But the real story here was Faldo’s final round 65 and Hoch’s two-footer on the 10th which, if sunk, would win him the green jacket. Instead, he hooked his ball left down the green, simultaneously launching his putter into the air in despair.

Tom Watson's putt for British Open just weeks before his 60th birthday

[caption id="attachment_3263" align="aligncenter" width="746"] Image credit to: tampabay.com[/caption]

Another historical moment that could've been, was when Tom Watson putted away the chance for a sixth British Open major win. He would've become the oldest to win a major by 11 years, at just two months shy of 60 years old. He'd last won at Turnberry against Jack Nicklaus in their "duel in the sun" in 1977. Watson had played fantastically over the weekend, shooting a five-under 65 in the first round. No-one expected it. And he was leading going into the 18th hole on the Sunday and left himself open for a par-putt to take the championship, except his nerves got the better of him and his ball rolled 12 feet past the pin. Which left him in a play-off with the much younger Stewart Cink, who went on to win by six strokes. Of course, the silver medal took all the applause that day.

And that finishes up our round-up of the worst misses in recent golfing history. And if you can take anything from this, then you should remember when you duff your putts or get the yips, that at least the pro's miss from time to time, and sometimes at the most crucial times. So just keep putting.