The one that got away.

[mizuno_lover]

Just watched a program on cable called Golfing World and they occasionally do half hour slots on various tournaments and today they relived the 2012 British Open that Ernie Els won and Adam Scott lost.  They interviewed various pros who competed including Ernie, Scotty and Graeme McDowell as well as Ernie's caddy and various journalists.  It really and I mean really struck me what a great strength of character that Adam Scott has and the way he handled what must have been a heart breaking loss was such a class act. He of course bounced back and won the Masters a year or two later.

 

It is far easier to win and Ernie was a very gracious winner and is and always has been a gentleman.  Scotty manned up and even went to the media tent and did interviews even though you could see he was gutted.  I know I have always struggled with losing and have always managed to maintain my composure thankfully.  Can you remember anyone (Pro) that impressed you with the way they maintained after a crushing loss?  How do you handle a loss when you desperately would like a win?  Do you think adversity brings out the best in you?

[Kenny B]

I've gotten used to losing.  Happens all the time!  

 

As far as pros, I still feel sorry for Greg Norman at the Masters in his amazing collapse.  However, as far as how a pro handled defeat, I go with a local kid from Washington; Andres Gonzales.  In the 2013 Web.com Tour Championship he had a 15' birdie putt and Lee Williams had a 30+' birdie putt.  Williams made the unlikely putt and Andres had to make his to get to the PGA Tour.  He missed.  He congratulated Williams and gave a very nice interview for a guy that just lost.  I am glad he got back to the PGA Tour this year.  

[Kor.A.Door]

How can you not be impressed with Phil, 6 runner ups, and he always has handled himself professionally in those losses, you could clearly see the frustration in the losses, but I don't recall him ever blowing up and anyone.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

I've gotten used to losing.  Happens all the time!  

 

As far as pros, I still feel sorry for Greg Norman at the Masters in his amazing collapse.  However, as far as how a pro handled defeat, I go with a local kid from Washington; Andres Gonzales.  In the 2013 Web.com Tour Championship he had a 15' birdie putt and Lee Williams had a 30+' birdie putt.  Williams made the unlikely putt and Andres had to make his to get to the PGA Tour.  He missed.  He congratulated Williams and gave a very nice interview for a guy that just lost.  I am glad he got back to the PGA Tour this year.  

I was at the 18th green watching that putt.  Gonzales was very gracious.  You would never have known his next year's tour card had just gone up in smoke!

[mizuno_lover]

One of the funniest interviews I've seen was Ernie Els at the US Open that Webb Simpson won.  Ernie had had a shocker of a round with one hole in particular and the person interviewing him asked one of the dumbest questions he could have thought of.  Ernie looked at the guy like he was an offensive insect and to his credit kept his cool - just and finished the interview and pretty much walked off shaking his head.

 

It had the potential of going awfully wrong but because of Ernie's class it didn't.

[TIBA_Putt - Kyle]

Rory after his Masters meltdown comes to mind. Leading through 63 holes and loses it after a horrible back nine and still gets through the post round interview with grace and composure.

[sp0rtsfan86]

I've grew up a loser, at least my teams were. My football teams were lucky to break .500, my baseball teams always fell apart in the playoffs as a kid. So i knew what it was like growing up to deal with losing in big spots.  When I was 13 we finally won a championship in our town. Long story short, that team is something my dad and I laugh at all the time. We were a bunch of misfits, but rallied around our individual talents and some luck in the playoffs. Sometimes you have to realize that you are destined to win and other times the forces for whatever reason are against you. Golf is like that, you take your best chances and sometimes you get lucky.

 

My golf story:  Our tournament on year was two stroke plays followed by match play brackets. I beat the first guy easily, but the second was up one on 17. I had about a 40 footer for par and he had a bogey putt from 6 foot. I somehow drained it and the guy looked at me like I had 3 heads. I went on to win on the first extra hole.  In the championship I had some horrid holes and found myself down two with two to play against a guy that wasn't the nicest fellow. I somehow managed to tie him on 18 but missed a 5 footer on the 19th hole to lose the championship. It was a complete reversal from the day before, I lost in extras. I like to think fate, but the drive on 19 was so bad that it was just my swing. 

The next year was single day qualifying... a guy shot 78 as a 18 handicap. Needless to say, I was gunning for him. After beating my first opponent in 20 holes (I have a thing for dramatics), I faced him. I tied him on 18. 4 holes later we were still all square, the guy running the tournament couldn't help himself but to laugh at what was transpiring. I'm taking on a guy who shot 78 and matching him stroke for stroke draining five footer after 5 footer and giving him a big challenge My luck ran out on the 44th hole of the day when I hit into a bunker and took 3 to get out after chunking a wedge. He parred out to my 8. I was gracious in defeat (according the the guy running the tournament) but secretly pissed. I couldn't get over losing to a guy like that. 

 

the next tournament I got KO'd in the first round of match play and had no excuses, just didn't play. I like being down and being beaten.  Adversity gets to me to the next level. However, I also know that when luck runs out, I have to give it to my opponent. They are playing the same course, the same distances and they are also trying for the same goal.