Cabrera's Second in the Playoff: Best Break in Golf History?

[Chilli Dipper]

The worst break in the history of championship golf, without a doubt, is Jean Van de Velde's second shot at the 18th hole during the final round of the 1999 British Open. After crossing the Barry Burn in the air, the ball hit the butt end of an open spectator gate, caromed back, hit the stone face of the burn, and launched a good 50 yards further behind the burn in heavy rough; had his ball gone two inches in either direction, Van de Velde would have been hole-high just right of the green, with four strokes to clinch the championship. The rest, as we say, was history.

But for all-time good breaks, where does what happened to Angel Cabrera's second at the first playoff hole yesterday? His drive stymied behind a pine tree, Cabrera attempted to hit a desperate punch shot out of the woods, though it was hard to tell exactly where he wanted the ball to go. Contact, a knock, and then the ball somehow came to rest in the middle of the fairway, an easy wedge to the pin. After seeing Tiger Woods' shot out of the woods hit a tree and end up in an even worse position, how lucky was Cabrera's shot?

[David in FL]

I'm sure someone, somewhere has gotten a luckier break..........but I've never seen it.

Rub of the green.......

[NorCalGolfer]

Because I was so emotionally invested in Kenny Perry, it was the freakin luckiest bounce that I've ever witnessed.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Yeah...that was best breaks ive seen a golfer get in that situation. If that ball riccochets off to the right like tigers did, he may have been toast.

[Prairie Golfer]

Fred Couples' ball NOT going in the water at 12 in the 1992 Masters comes to mind.


Jean Van de Velde deserved his bad break.

[buckman821]

Fred couples break was WAY better.

Cabrera was pretty unlucky to be RIGHT behind a tree to begin with. A lot of people who miss right end up rattling out almost into the fairway anyway.

Point is, a lot of people miss right on the 18th and end up making par without THAT much difficulty. Cabrera still had to work VERY hard to make his par.

[TN94z]

It was a huge break! I mean the guy hits an errant tee shot that ends up behind a tree. Hits his second and catches a tree and ends up in the fairway? Now granted he did have to work hard to make par after that, but the whole tree thing was lucky!

Having said that, many golfers have had lucky breaks to get tournament wins. This wasn't the first time.

[iacas]

Jean Van de Velde deserved his bad break.

Yeah, I don't buy that one. You don't want to miss left there, so he aimed right.

[Prairie Golfer]

Yeah, I don't buy that one. You don't want to miss left there, so he aimed right.

He deserved to go in the water when he took out his driver, he deserved it again when he tried to carry the burn and deserved it again when he fluffed his wedge into the drink.

[Eore]

He deserved to go in the water when he took out his driver, he deserved it again when he tried to carry the burn and deserved it again when he fluffed his wedge into the drink.

i'll agree with the first and last, but he had the burn carried by a ton, he just hit the gate.

but that was pretty damn lucky yesterday. although couples may be a little luckier

[iacas]

He deserved to go in the water when he took out his driver, he deserved it again when he tried to carry the burn and deserved it again when he fluffed his wedge into the drink.

Hogwash. He avoided the water with his drive. He carried the water with his second, if only for a thin little railing that sent his ball 50 yards backwards... But I guess you define "deserved" differently than most people.

Anyhoo, back to Cabrera. Tiger's ball went right off a tree but he still had a decent third shot. Heck, put it almost as close as Cabrera put his, so...

[Lefty39]

I would have to say that Couple's shot was a lot luckier, but Cabrera did catch a nice break.

[Troof.]

Fred Couples' ball NOT going in the water at 12 in the 1992 Masters comes to mind.

Yes and yes. No ball has EVER stayed where his ball did on 12, but things were going his way and the golf Gods were behind him that week.

Fred couples break was WAY better.

I also agree. Tiger's ricochet didn't end up in THAT BAD of a spot, all he had to do was the clear the tree, which seemed far enough away, and he hit a nice shot in.

Cabrera simply capitalized on his fortune and made an awesome up and down from the fairway. Sure, he got a favorable break, but Kenny Perry still lost the tournament

[Divot Tool]

Hogwash. . .Anyhoo, back to Cabrera. Tiger's ball went right off a tree but he still had a decent third shot. Heck, put it almost as close as Cabrera put his, so...

Both hit amazing approach shots into the green, the only difference is that Tiger missed his par putt, and Cabrera made his. Yes, Cabrera is one lucky son of a b*

[Clubswinger21]

I thought he did well to get up and down from where he was, i dont think it was the "best" break in the history of tournament golf.

[Golf_Predictor_Guru]

Cabrera was lucky, but Perry and Campbell let him off the hook big time by failing to find the green from the fairway.

I agree with Prairie Golfer. While feeling very sorry for Van De Velde (who is a much nicer guy than the dour Laurie!), he dug his own hole on 18 at Carnoustie with a succession of bad choices. It's still hard not to feel sorry for him though.

[lordnazgul2]

I think people are forgetting that in regulation play Kenny Perry hit his drive into the trees and yet miraculously found himself sitting in the middle of the fairway! If it had gone into the trees he may well have found himself not even making the playoff, that strikes me as fairly lucky!

Also does anyone remember trevor immelman last year spinning one of the green at 15 yet it still staying dry?? That was lucky!!

[Zeph]

Christie Kerr on the LPGA Masters Kraft Nabisco Championship two weeks ago.

At the par 3 14th the right half of the green is surrounded by water. Christie hit her tee shot heading straight for the water, but she hit a rock at the edge, bouncing the ball back on the green and rolling not too far from the flag. Could've made a hole in one. As usual she went on to miss the birdie putt, but still got away with par on a hole where a rock saved her from water.

She ended up at T3, one shot off the winner Lincicome.

Anyone saw what happened to Phil's tee shot that found the woods and spectators? The camera lost it, but it ended up way ahead and in a open space. The commentator was wondering if someone had kicked it or picked it up and tossed it further ahead.