Paul Broadhurst is competing in this week’s Senior Open at Carnoustie, where he is hoping to repeat his success of eight years ago at the legendary course, when he beat Scott McCarron by two shots to take the title.
However, he didn’t do his chances any good with an air shot before completing a putt in the opening round.
The incident happened on the seventh green, where Broadhurst, at one-under, was looking to save par. His initial putt came up marginally short and just to the right of the hole, leaving a tap in for bogey.
That appeared a mere formality given how close the ball was to the hole, and the 58-year-old’s nonchalant approach to the shot suggested he thought so too, but incredibly, he whiffed the attempt to leave him needing to settle for a double bogey and go one-over for the day.
How did he miss? 🫣#SeniorOpen | @ROLEX pic.twitter.com/uH8U8ZGBhgJuly 25, 2024
It got worse for Broadhurst two holes later with another bogey, before he recovered his composure with his third and fourth birdies of the day on the 10th and 12th before three more birdies followed to leave him three-under for his round.
The moment was reminiscent of a famous air shot that cost Hale Irwin dearly at the 1983 Open at Royal Birkdale. During the third round, the American had a two-inch putt on the 14th, but he also missed the ball costing him what turned out to be a crucial shot as he ultimately fell short of the title by one to Tom Watson.
With three days to go at Carnoustie, there is plenty of time for Broadhurst, who plays on the Legends Tour and PGA Tour Champions, to avoid a similar fate, and he remained within touch of the overnight leader Stephen Ames, heading into the second round just one shot behind the 60-year-old.
