When was a major last won this way?

[A.G._Crockett]

Webb Simpson won the US Open yesterday without ever having even a share of the lead in the tournament while he was on the golf course.  I'm sure this has happened before, maybe many times, but wondered if anybody recalls a similar situation in recent years.

[Garland Bayley]

Ogilvy at Winged Foot?

[Kalen Braley]

Not true, he shared the lead during the entire 18th hole when Furyk was on 16.

It was a very brief period, so agreed there!!

[George Pazin]

Ben Curtis at Sandwich?

[David_Tepper]

Stewart Cink wound up in a tie with Tom Watson in the 2009 British Open at the Turnberry without ever being in the lead over 72 holes.

[Sam Morrow]

The oddest ever was O'Meara at Augusta, when he won there I'm not sure they showed him before about 15 or 16.

[Garland Bayley]

Ben Curtis at Sandwich?

My recollection was that Curtis was in the lead a good deal of the time and others were trying to catch him.

[Wayne_Kozun]

Ben Curtis at Sandwich?

My recollection was that Curtis was in the lead a good deal of the time and others were trying to catch him.

Thomas Bjorn was leading until he took 3 shots to get out of the bunker at 16.  I don't remember if Curtis was still on the course at the time but the tournament was Bjorn's to lose, and he did lose it.

I don't think Paul Lawrie ever had the lead at Carnoustie in 1999 until we won the playoff after JVdV's famous collapse on 18.

[George Pazin]

Ben Curtis at Sandwich?

My recollection was that Curtis was in the lead a good deal of the time and others were trying to catch him.

Not while he was on the course - they all came back to him after he had finished. I'm sure I'm not alone in recalling Curtis Strange wax poetic about the young man who, while he wouldn't win, would always remember this day and his fine finish...

Basically, the situation AG describes happens only when someone with shouting distance of the lead posts a low number and the leaders retreat at the end. It is indeed relatively unusual, at least in the majors.

Remember how late Rory took the lead last year? What, on the first hole Thursday?

[Ron Csigo]

Go figure, Lee Janzen at the '98 Open at Olympic. 

He did not own or share the lead during the completion of the first three rounds and was 5 shots back going into the final round (one more than Webb Simpson).

[Mike_Clayton]

Garland,

Ogilvy had the lead for a hole or two way before the 18th. He made three bogeys around the turn to lose it.
Juli Ogilvy's love for Johnny Miller began back then when he said 'well at least he can tell his family he once lead the US Open'!

[Tim Martin]

Didn`t Payne Stewart back into the 1989 PGA at Kemper Lakes when everybody else stumbled coming in?

[Ron Csigo]

Go figure, Lee Janzen at the '98 Open at Olympic. 

He did not own or share the lead during the completion of the first three rounds and was 5 shots back going into the final round (one more than Webb Simpson).

Ron, I'm not sure that's what the question asked.  The question asked when the last time was that the winner never had a share of the lead when duirng the 73 holes he was on the course (ie, everybody behind him in order, but ahead of him on the card, just backed up so bad, he won by default, and he never had the lead - even in the first, second or third rounds...).

Paul Lawrie fits the bill, doesn't he? (Unless he had the lead at some point early in the tournament...I honestly don't remember). 

DSchmidt - I don't think Janzen had the lead at any point during the '98 Open while he was out on the course.  I thought Payne Stewart still had the lead when Janzen walked off 18 in the final round.  At least, I thought that was the case.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.  I know that when the day began, there were plenty of other contenders between the Janzen and Stewart groups that fell by the wayside. 

[John_Cullum]

The oddest ever was O'Meara at Augusta, when he won there I'm not sure they showed him before about 15 or 16.

The first time he ever lead was when he holed his putt on the 72d hole. It seemed like it never occurred to anyone that he could win the golf tournament until he actually won it

[William_G]

The oddest ever was O'Meara at Augusta, when he won there I'm not sure they showed him before about 15 or 16.

The first time he ever lead was when he holed his putt on the 72d hole. It seemed like it never occurred to anyone that he could win the golf tournament until he actually won it

just like this year when everyone else lost it

[Sam Morrow]

The oddest ever was O'Meara at Augusta, when he won there I'm not sure they showed him before about 15 or 16.

The first time he ever lead was when he holed his putt on the 72d hole. It seemed like it never occurred to anyone that he could win the golf tournament until he actually won it

There is the legend that CBS wouldn't show him because he was a big Toyota guy. Then it was such a great finish, of course everyone remembers Jack making that nice run to finish T6th but look at the top 10. Couples, Duval, Furyk (thought he was going to win that week too), Azinger, Jack, Toms (before he was big time David Toms), Clarke, Leonard, Montgomery, and Woods. Is this one of the greatest leaderboards in golf history? One guy never won a major and he might have been the best European golfer on the 90's.

[Phil McDade]

Sam:

You're right -- I've always thought that's one of the great under-rated majors of the modern era, with all kinds of stuff happening on the back nine, but it's never found its way into the conscience of golf fans as a memorable tournament.

[Sam Morrow]

Sam:

You're right -- I've always thought that's one of the great under-rated majors of the modern era, with all kinds of stuff happening on the back nine, but it's never found its way into the conscience of golf fans as a memorable tournament.

I thought Duval and Furyk were the guys to beat that day, as I recall Furyk hit a 5 wood over 15 green and into the water.

[Phil McDade]

Sam:

You're right -- I've always thought that's one of the great under-rated majors of the modern era, with all kinds of stuff happening on the back nine, but it's never found its way into the conscience of golf fans as a memorable tournament.

I thought Duval and Furyk were the guys to beat that day, as I recall Furyk hit a 5 wood over 15 green and into the water.

Duval absolutely had that tournament, I thought while watching the back nine. When he was in his prime -- the only player who I thought could go mano-a-mano with Tiger. One of the great, puzzling and interesting careers in golf.

[Sam Morrow]

Sam:

You're right -- I've always thought that's one of the great under-rated majors of the modern era, with all kinds of stuff happening on the back nine, but it's never found its way into the conscience of golf fans as a memorable tournament.

I thought Duval and Furyk were the guys to beat that day, as I recall Furyk hit a 5 wood over 15 green and into the water.

Duval absolutely had that tournament, I thought while watching the back nine. When he was in his prime -- the only player who I thought could go mano-a-mano with Tiger. One of the great, puzzling and interesting careers in golf.

I think Duval is a guy who was too intelligent for the game. Interesting guy but never struck me as someone who loved the game.

[mike_beene]

Tim  Mike Reid bogeyed the last three holes while Payne sat there eating grapes.His smug look soured me on him his whole career

[Lance Rieber]

Webb had a share of the lead for at least 2 or 3 holes on the final nine.  When Furyk bogeyed 13 hey were tied and Webb was no further than 16 fairway and played 17 and 18 with a share I believe.  I might have to watch the replay.

[JC Jones]

Go figure, Lee Janzen at the '98 Open at Olympic. 

He did not own or share the lead during the completion of the first three rounds and was 5 shots back going into the final round (one more than Webb Simpson).

Ron, I'm not sure that's what the question asked.  The question asked when the last time was that the winner never had a share of the lead when duirng the 73 holes he was on the course (ie, everybody behind him in order, but ahead of him on the card, just backed up so bad, he won by default, and he never had the lead - even in the first, second or third rounds...).

Paul Lawrie fits the bill, doesn't he? (Unless he had the lead at some point early in the tournament...I honestly don't remember). 

Perhaps we should take the trophy from Webb, he unfairly got to play an extra hole.

[Ron Csigo]

Given today's result at the British, is it two consecutive majors won this way?

[PThomas]

lets not forget Ed Sneed bogeying the last 3 at Augusta in 79 to go into a playoff with Fuzzy and Watson