Ah, you’re likely referring to one of the most famous (and bizarre) moments in golf history—the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont, involving Larry Nelson.
Here’s the twist:
During the final round, Nelson hit his approach shot on the 16th hole into deep rough. After a long search, he couldn’t find his ball and declared it lost, took a penalty stroke, and played a provisional ball.
But—here’s the kicker—his original ball was later found by a spectator… in the cup!
Yes, it had gone in the hole, but because it was buried in thick grass around the green, no one saw it drop. Nelson had unknowingly holed his second shot.
However, because he had already declared the ball lost and played a provisional, the rules at the time did not allow him to count the original shot, even though it was in the hole. He had to continue with his provisional ball and ended up making a double bogey on the hole.
So… did he win after losing his ball?
Surprisingly—yes!
Despite that disaster on 16, Larry Nelson still won the 1983 U.S. Open by one stroke over Tom Watson and Seve Ballesteros.
It’s a legendary example of resilience:
He lost his ball, thought he’d blown the tournament… but still clinched the title.
So while he didn’t technically win because he lost his ball—he won in spite of it, making the story all the more memorable.
Moral: In golf—and life—sometimes you win even when everything seems lost.
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