# \[If\] McIlroy loses US Open - biggest choke in pro sports history? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 19, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036 "2011-06-19T15:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/21 "2011-06-20T08:00:47Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > It wasn’t the Gold Medal game. And there wasn’t a 2-0 lead, either. The scoring went (USSR, USA) 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/22 "2011-06-20T10:54:12Z")
> **[1999 UEFA Champions League final](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_UEFA_Champions_League_Final)** > > The 1999 UEFA Champions League final was an association football match between Manchester United of England and Bayern Munich of Germany, played at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, on 26 May 1999, to determine the winner of the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League. Injury time goals from Manchester United's Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær cancelled out Mario Basler's early goal for Bayern to give Manchester United a 2–1 win and their first European Cup title since 1968, their second overall. Ref... Manchester United beat Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League Final. The final. Bayern were winning 1-0 up until injury time (that’s the bit of time, usually 2-3 minutes, added at the end to make up for stoppages during the game proper). In injury time Manchester United score two goals and win the game. I’ve never seen anything like it. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lo2VW0YYN_4/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIACwAOKAgwIABABGD4gZSgPMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCHAF3XDwSj2baAG3kFeg0V14DTsw "1999 champions league final - Martin Tyler commentary") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo2VW0YYN_4) > [@](#): > > The game restarted, but many Bayern players were virtually unable to continue and needed the assistance of referee Pierluigi Collina to drag themselves off the ground. They were stunned to have lost a game they had thought won just minutes before (several celebratory flares had already been ignited by the Munich fans moments before United equalised, and Bayern Munich ribbons had already been secured to the trophy itself in preparation for the presentation ceremony) Similarly, the Liverpool-Arsenal match in 1989, that was featured in the film “Fever Pitch”: > **[Liverpool 0–2 Arsenal (1989)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_0%E2%80%932_Arsenal_(26_May_1989))** > > The final match of the 1988–89 Football League season was contested at Anfield between Liverpool and Arsenal, respectively the first and second-placed teams in the First Division, on 26 May 1989. The clubs were close enough on points for the match to act as a decider for the championship. However, Arsenal had to win by at least two goals to overtake Liverpool in the table; anything else would result in Liverpool becoming champions. Arsenal won 2–0; midfielder Michael Thomas scored the second g... > [@](#): > > The final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season was contested on 26 May 1989, between Liverpool and Arsenal, at Liverpool’s Anfield ground. By sheer coincidence, it was the match between the top two teams in the First Division and the teams were close enough on points for the match to act as a decider for the First Division Championship. Arsenal needed to win the game by at least two goals to take the title, while Liverpool enjoyed home advantage and had won the FA Cup the previous weekend. Despite being labelled underdogs, Arsenal won 2–0, with a last-minute goal scored by Michael Thomas – the final goal, in the final minute, of the final game of the league season – giving them their ninth First Division title and denying Liverpool the chance of a second Double. The match is considered to be the most dramatic conclusion to a league season in the history of the English game. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bQmO3S2eLPE/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGFMgZSgqMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAFGJ1CWypG0nTSOWpctNMiR0BnpA "Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal - League Decider (1989) - Live Footage") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQmO3S2eLPE) I know exactly where I was watching both games. I’ll never forget them. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/23 "2011-06-20T11:13:22Z")
There is also the AC Milan-Liverpool, Champions League final. Milan were 3-0 up and cruising, no way back right? [wrong!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgx5titY8L8) ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/24 "2011-06-20T11:24:16Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Saw the video - was there an explanation what happened? did he just lose it, or was there a mechanical difficulty there? He just pooched it into the wall. He had a substantial lead and could have coasted in for the win, but when he came up on traffic in the last turn he went out too wide, got into the marbles, and lost it into the wall. All he had to do was slow down and wait until he was out of the turn or was in a better position to pass within the turn. It’s a cliche to say it was a typical rookie mistake, but in this case it’s exactly what it was. And yet, he still finished second and only lost by around 150-200 feet (the field freezes when the yellow comes out). Had they thrown the yellow flag immediately (which they should have done) he still would have won. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/25 "2011-06-20T14:27:22Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > 1980 Olympics men’s hockey gold medal game! Yeah! We’ve been hearing miracle this and triumph over the evil empire that that we’ve completely forgotten that the Soviets, by rights, should’ve turned those kids into borscht. They pulled to a 2-0 lead, then gave up a couple of stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid [bunch of other "stupid"s] goals before being hit with one of the most infamous bonehead coaching decisions in history. I’m not that familiar with the details of the game DKW. What did the Soviet coach do that was so stupid? ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/26 "2011-06-20T15:39:41Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > He just pooched it into the wall. He had a substantial lead and could have coasted in for the win, but when he came up on traffic in the last turn he went out too wide, got into the marbles, and lost it into the wall. All he had to do was slow down and wait until he was out of the turn or was in a better position to pass within the turn. > > It’s a cliche to say it was a typical rookie mistake, but in this case it’s exactly what it was. And yet, he still finished second and only lost by around 150-200 feet (the field freezes when the yellow comes out). Had they thrown the yellow flag immediately (which they should have done) he still would have won. Thanks - ! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/27 "2011-06-20T15:48:58Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > I’m not that familiar with the details of the game DKW. What did the Soviet coach do that was so stupid? He’s probably talking about the Soviets pulling the starting goalie and putting in the back-up. That happened when the Americans equalized it at 2. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036/28 "2011-06-20T20:05:59Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > He’s probably talking about the Soviets pulling the starting goalie and putting in the back-up. That happened when the Americans equalized it at 2. OK, thank you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-mcilroy-loses-us-open-biggest-choke-in-pro-sports-history/586036.md?page=1)