You may not have heard of James Hahn. You will definitely have heard of Gangnam Style. Combine the two and throw the raucous par 3 16th at TPC Scottsdale into the mix and you have one of the best ever golf celebrations, footage of which no doubt is currently sweeping its way across the internet. Having nailed a 20 footer for a 2 on one of golf’s most exciting holes, Hahn couldn’t resist and broke out into a Gangnam Style dance around the green, much to the delight of the fans! This celebration was a refreshing change of pace for the PGA Tour and golf in general and it got us thinking about other famous golfing celebrations. Here are our picks…the good…the bad…and the ugly!
The Good
Seve Ballesteros – 1984 Open Championship – St Andrews Old Course
Few brought as much passion to the game of golf as Seve Ballesteros and his celebration on the final hole at St Andrews in 1984 will go down as one of the most iconic images in golfing history. Pure joy…pure Seve!
Tiger Woods – Career Celebrations
Love him or loath him…there are few who could deny that Tiger transformed the sport of golf, bringing athleticism, excitement and electricity to the fairways throughout his career. His fist pumps are legendary, especially considering there are few who can actually pull them off without looking like a bit of a dork! Here we have a look at some of the best celebrations from Tiger’s career…
The Bad
Thomas Levet – 2011 French Open – Le Golf National
There is nothing wrong with an enthusiastic celebration on the golf course and every now and again a tournament winner will take the opportunity to cool off in a nearby water hazard following a victory. Thomas Levet thought this was a good idea when he won the French Open but unfortunately for the Frenchman he broke his leg in the process and missed the remainder of the season!
Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson – 2010 Ryder Cup – Celtic Manor Golf Resort
The Ugly
As we have said, emotion can often run high on the golf course, especially at the Ryder Cup. Here we have Jeff Overton and Bubba Watson celebrating an eagle at Celtic Manor…some players can pull off these types of celebrations…others can’t! The initial reaction is great…the duration of the celebration is just plain awkward!
Team USA – 1999 Ryder Cup – Brookline Country Club
Let’s face it…golfing etiquette is an important part of the game. Unfortunately the American Ryder Cup team forgot about this when the emotions ran a little too high at the 1999 Ryder Cup, storming the green following a monster putt from Justin Leonard which had seemingly completed an epic comeback for the USA. Unfortunately Jose Maria Olazabal still had a putt to half the hole and his line was trampled by the rampaging Americans, leaving a bitter taste in European mouths…Jose would get his revenge though at the Miracle at Medinah!
And another look at the man who inspired this article…well played James Hahn!
