ROYAL PORTRUSH — South African golfer Shaun Norris endured one of the most agonizing moments in Open Championship history, carding a disastrous 10 on the par-four fourth hole during the 2019 tournament at Royal Portrush. What began as a promising round quickly unraveled into a 20-minute nightmare, derailing his hopes in golf’s oldest major.
A Promising Start Derailed
Norris, then ranked 114th in the world, had opened his second round with a steady par on the first hole. But the fourth hole—a 482-yard beast with a blind tee shot and punishing rough—would become his undoing. His drive veered right into thick fescue, sparking a chain reaction of misfortunes. "I just couldn’t get out of there," Norris later admitted. "Every shot seemed to make it worse."
The hole’s design, with its elevated green and steep bunkers, left little margin for error. After multiple failed escape attempts, Norris finally reached the green in seven strokes, only to three-putt for a 10. The crowd watched in sympathetic silence as his scorecard took a brutal hit.
Breaking Down the Catastrophe
Norris’s meltdown wasn’t just bad luck—it exposed the unforgiving nature of links golf. Here’s how the disaster unfolded:
- First shot: A wayward drive into deep rough, leaving him no clear path to the green.
- Second shot: A hack that advanced the ball only a few yards, still buried in thick grass.
- Third shot: Another desperate swing, this time into a greenside bunker.
- Fourth shot: A failed bunker escape, rolling back into the sand.
- Fifth shot: A second bunker attempt that finally found the green.
- Putting woes: Three putts from long range sealed the nightmare 10.
"It’s the kind of hole that can eat you alive if you’re even slightly off," said playing partner Darren Clarke, the 2011 Open champion. "Shaun got caught in a perfect storm."
The Aftermath and Resilience
Norris’s score ballooned to an 80 for the round, ending his chances of making the cut. Yet, his response drew admiration. Instead of storming off, he regrouped to birdie the next hole, showing remarkable composure. "That’s golf," he shrugged afterward. "You take the good with the bad."
A Lesson in Perseverance
While Norris’s 10 became a viral lowlight, it also highlighted the mental toughness required in professional golf. Unlike other sports, there’s no hiding in golf—every misstep is laid bare. "What defines you isn’t the bad holes," said analyst Paul McGinley. "It’s how you respond."
Historical Context
Norris’s 10 wasn’t the highest score in Open history—that dubious honor belongs to Herman Tissies, who took 15 on the Postage Stamp hole in 1950. But it joined a list of infamous Open collapses, including:
- Ian Baker-Finch’s 11 at Royal Troon in 1997
- Rory McIlroy’s 80 in brutal winds at St. Andrews in 2010
- Jean van de Velde’s triple-bogey meltdown at Carnoustie in 1999
Unlike those moments, though, Norris’s struggle flew under the radar—overshadowed by Shane Lowry’s eventual victory and Royal Portrush’s triumphant return to the Open rota after 68 years.
The Silver Lining
Norris, now competing primarily on the Asian Tour, has reframed the experience. "It taught me humility," he reflected in 2022. "Golf doesn’t owe you anything. You have to earn every shot." His resilience paid off—he won the 2022 Japan Golf Tour Championship, proving that even the darkest holes can lead to brighter days.
For fans, Norris’s 10 remains a cautionary tale about Royal Portrush’s ferocity. As the Open returns to Northern Ireland in 2025, the fourth hole—now nicknamed "Norris’s Nightmare" by locals—will undoubtedly claim new victims.
In the end, the scorecard showed a 10. But the real story was Norris’s grace under fire—a reminder that golf, like life, is measured not by one hole, but by how you play the entire course.
