Paul Lawrie won his only major championship in a playoff over Jean van de Velde and Justin Leonard.

Van de Velde, who was in control through the latter half of the championship, held a seemingly insurmountable three-stroke lead going into the 72nd hole.

"[9] Van de Velde teed off with a driver, which was heavily criticised by the ABC broadcast team, and pushed his shot far to the right, over the water bordering the right side of the 18th fairway, and onto the 17th hole.

[citation needed] Choosing not to simply lay up with a wedge, van de Velde went for the green on his second shot with a two iron.

His second shot came to rest in an area of knee-deep rough after his ball bounced backward 50 yards off the grandstand next to the 18th green and off a rock in the Barry Burn.

He pitched out safely and holed the six-foot putt on his seventh shot for a triple-bogey, which would trigger a three-man playoff between van de Velde, Lawrie, and Leonard.