Share your worst sporting moments

Spare a thought for John Daly. The American golfer withdrew from the US Open after a nightmare first round - including 14 strokes on the final hole. Three of his shots sailed into the Pacific Ocean.

It was a performance even an amateur weekend hacker would be been ashamed of. "Get me to the airport fast," moaned the 34-year-old former British Open champion.

Remember Jean Van de Velde in the creek at the last hole of the British Open in 1999? But it's not only the professionals that have a bad day. Many of us have been there, suffering sporting humiliation - the comic own-goal for your pub football team or the sarcastic applause on the cricket pitch after that first ball duck.

Tell us the tales that still haunt you. What are your sporting nightmares?

I got up to the plate and this huge ball came flying at me at a snail's pace

Jon Bailey, USA

I'm a Brit, living in California. At my company picnic a few years ago, we had a softball tournament. I got up to the plate and this huge ball came flying at me at a snail's pace. Being a cricket player, this seemed like the full toss from heaven, so I smacked it through the midfield. I ran around all the bases and jubilantly ran back to the home plate, arms flailing in celebration. Surprisingly, everyone in the stands was in stitches. Perturbed why no one, including my wife, was applauding my mastery of the sport, I turned to the catcher. He caught his breath and informed me that I was meant to touch the bases, not just run around them. My run was disallowed, and, as a project manager, my mistake was never forgotten.
Jon Bailey, USA

Bernard Langer missing that putt in the Ryder Cup which would have retained the Cup for Europe at Kiawa Island

Mr Ferri Dehmobedi, UK

Bernard Langer missing that putt in the Ryder Cup which would have retained the Cup for Europe at Kiawa Island. It would have been so sweet to deny the Yanks, especially considering the antics of both their team and fans.
Mr Ferri Dehmobedi, UK

My worst sporting moment is football on TV and football on TV and football on TV and football on TV.
Robert Brown, England

David Beckham - England v Argentina, 1998 World Cup. There are few people in the country that can forgive the man who arguably cost us a place in the final.
Richard, Australia

I really just wanted to crawl into a bunker and die

Patrick O'Sullivan, Taiwan

I was playing by invitation at a corporate sponsored golf competition at a very exclusive UK golf course. At the first tee there were about 100 other players and spectators. The starter called me to the tee, I teed up and proceeded to take a few practise swings. My heart was thumping and I was quite simply petrified. [I'm only a weekend hacker]. I eventually whacked the ball, it flew away about 2 inches off the ground, hit the ladies tee marker edge on and pinged backwards about 60 yards. There was another terrifying silence. Eventually the starter quietly coughed and called the next player. I proceeded to the car park to play my 2nd shot but I really just wanted to crawl into a bunker and die. Needless to say I won the wooden spoon.
Patrick O'Sullivan, Taiwan

I have many worst sporting moments. Every time our country plays outside the UK - the fans destroy the pleasure - We (the UK) have many worst sporting moments...sad isn't it?
David Warburton, UK

The 1998 World Cup, when Beckham flipped his foot up at the Argentine player.

Christian J. DeFeo, The Netherlands

The 1998 World Cup, when Beckham flipped his foot up at the Argentine player. I still haven't quite forgiven him for being so stupid.
Christian J. DeFeo, The Netherlands

In a cup final I scored a goal to give us a 1-0 lead. Their centre-back and I were having an almighty tussle, hard, verbal and a lot of times illegally. With about 15 minutes to go I harried him enough where he passed the ball back to the goalie (This was in the days when the goalie could pick it up). Unfortunately for the defender, the goalie had come out and the ball went right by him. I stood there laughing at the defender instead of chasing the ball to make sure that it went in. The ball hit the post came out and the goalie jumped on it. We continued to hold the lead until about 2 minutes to go when a terrible goal keeping error gifted them the equaliser. They went on to beat us 2-1 after extra time. I was devastated. Although at 20 I learnt a valuable lesson. Needless to say I never give up on any ball or take anything for granted anymore.
Neil, USA (ex-pat)

When I first tried to play tennis I just couldn't hit the ball for love nor money. Eventually after many attempts I successfully hit the ball. When it went over the fence around the court it was still going up and showed no sign of slowing. The ball was never found.
John B, UK

To cap it all my dive into the mud had left me soaked. I spent the next 40 minutes freezing in the slush, and the next week in bed with 'flu.

John Birch, England

One sleet swept afternoon (it ALWAYS rained when we played rugby) for some reason I was actually standing in the opponents half (a rare feat), moreover within about 10 yards of their line (no idea what I was doing there).
Play was, however, taking place safely on the other side of the field. Then suddenly there was a commotion - a kick... a charge down... and this brown, wet, leather object thudded down in the mud at my feet. So there was me, there was the ball, and there was the try-line about 10 yards away. And the nearest of the 29 homicidal maniacs was all of 30 yards away. I picked up the ball, took a couple of steps forward, closed my eyes and dived!
When I opened my eyes I found that I hadn't quite dived far enough. The ball had thudded to earth some two inches the wrong side of the try line. Moreover I'd given away a penalty for some reason. To cap it all my dive into the mud had left me soaked. I spent the next 40 minutes freezing in the slush, and the next week in bed with 'flu.
John Birch, England

Just to illustrate that cricket is as much about temperament as anything else. I used to play in an under-14 league many years ago and was constantly beset by batting failures, never fulfilling my potential. My worst nightmare occurred when I went in to bat but stood first at the bowler's end. Next ball, I called for a single and got run out straight away. I didn't even face a ball! I walked back into the dressing room and just cried.
Peter Barraclough, England

A memory that every Wales football fan would share, but would probably rather forget. The final match of qualifying for the 1994 World Cup. Wales were playing Romania, with Hagi, Dumitrescu, Petrescu and Raducuoiu all playing. The RCS (Czechs), our rivals, look beaten against Belgium and we need to win by two goals to qualify. With 20 mins left, it is 1-1 and we have a penalty. Paul Bodin was our most reliable man on the spot. He smacked the ball full face against the bar. We lost, failed to qualify, sacked Terry Yorath and Welsh soccer has never been the same again.
Nathan Hamer, Wales

We were on TV several times for being the worst footie team ever

Chris Spalding, USA

When I was a young lad I played for Worthing Boys Club under 12's football team as goalkeeper. We were on TV several times for being the worst footie team ever, I still remember vividly the crowning example of our pathetic inability when we lost 42-0 to Durrington Dynamo's!
Chris Spalding, USA (but English)

The worst sporting nightmare is watching the ugly scenes in Belgium from so-called England supporters. These animals are ensuring that if England don't go out in Euro 2000, we will not be allowed into any other competitions
A football supporter, UK

Playing a fierce game of cricket against a neighbourhood team; a real grudge match, I was the lead scorer at 99 n.o. Two away from victory, I was confident of my century and my team's victory. Till the last bowl of the second last over, when I slid back to make room for myself to cut it, but instead tripped over my shoelace and fell on the wicket¿which was ultimately decided as an hit wicket my the Umpire. I never scored above 65 ever again and have never been in the top six in the line up for my team...to date !!
Rithesh Menon, India

I had lost my bearings and my swan dive landed right on the opposition's 25!!

Jono Gronow, USA

When I was 17 and playing rugby I dummied my opposite centre inside my own 25, shimmied past a couple of forwards trying to cover and was off to the races. I was comfortably ahead of the chasing pack, as I was 7 stone wet through then and could run like a greyhound.
I took a glance back (which I was always told you should never do) and saw them disappearing fast behind me. When I turned round I saw the line about 5 yards in front of me and made a spectacular dive to finish a stunning move.
Unfortunately in looking behind me I had lost my bearings and my swan dive landed right on the opposition's 25!! I got up and ran around wondering why no-one was coming to congratulate me until I realised what the hell I'd done but by that time it was too late. What a nightmare
Jono Gronow, USA for past couple of years

Losing 'Match of the Day'.
Martin Hughes, UK

Sharing a house with 3 men who live, sleep, walk and talk footie - no respite for me!!
Lisa, UK

Second half. I score two more goals - both for them!!

Gareth Thomas, England

A semi-final football match at school (I was 14). I'd been bought new boots for the game. I was playing in the centre of defence. They put a long ball upfield. I decided to try and head it away on the edge of my own area. Rather spectacularly I headed it over my keeper into my own net.
10 minutes later I scored a beautiful right foot volley (I'm left footed), this time into the right net. Second half. I score two more goals - both for them!! An own goal hat-trick. I still see some of my old school friends and invariably I'm reminded of this nightmare game. 3-1 to them - and I scored all the goals!
Gareth Thomas, England

The highlight of my rugby playing career was to play against an England International. Unfortunately this was Colin Milburn, who was a cricket international until he lost an eye in a road crash. Olli was a large man, about 18-20 stones and playing at full back I tackled him by the legs, but he just ran on for 15 yards and scored a try, with me still attached to his left ankle.
Bob Jamieson, UK

I'm the captain my local Sunday league team and we 1-0 up in the cup final and coasting with 10 minutes to go. An innocuous ball heading towards to our goalie was chased down by two of our defenders who managed to tackle each other and gift the ball to the opposition who rounded the helpless goalie to score an undeserved equaliser. To make matters worst our two guilty defenders started fighting and the ref had no choice but to send them from the field. Down to nine men we struggled and eventually lost the game 3-1 in extra time.
Robert Tripe, England

---