Great golfing comebacks

Europe won 8.5 of a possible 12 points on the final day of the 2012 Ryder Cup at the Medinah Country Club, with Martin Kaymer coolly making the clinching putt, to overcome a 10-6 deficit and win the continental competition for the seventh time in the past nine stagings. The victory ranks among the greatest comebacks in golf history. Here are five others ...

1960, Arnold Palmer, US Open

Mike Souchak was seven strokes clear of Palmer at the start of the final round at Cherry Hills, and between the two on the leaderboard was veteran Ben Hogan and a young Jack Nicklaus. The lead changed hands all day, before Palmer and Hogan stood alone. Palmer made par on the final two holes to shoot 65 and win.

1978, Gary Player, Masters

The little South African was seven shots behind the leader at the start of play on the Sunday, but Player birdied seven of the final nine holes to shoot 64 and win by one shot over Tom Watson, Rod Funseth and Hubert Green. It was the last of his nine major championships.

1986, Jack Nicklaus, Masters

Trailing by five at the turn, the 46 year old seemed irrelevant to the battle behind him involving Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman and Tom Kite. But he fired a 30 on the back nine to win by a shot and secure his 18th major. Said Nicklaus: “Nobody expected me to be in contention at that point in my career, particularly even me.”

1999, Paul Lawrie, British Open

Sometimes obscured by the last-hole collapse of Jean van de Velde, who blew a three-stroke lead, was the charge by Lawrie. He began the day 10 shots behind but was back by only three when he signed his scorecard after shooting 67. He defeated Van de Velde and Justin Leonard in a play-off.

1999, United States, Ryder Cup

In the opposite situation to Sunday, it was Europe going into the final day of the “Battle at Brookline” with a 10-6 lead. But the US easily won the first six singles matches and went on to win by 14.5 to 13.5. US player Hal Sutton said: “It was a mighty display of firepower.”