Charismatic French golfer Jean Van de Velde is preparing to revisit the spot where millions of TV viewers watched his British Open victory hopes die a watery death in 1999.
Van de Velde unwittingly added his name to the list of great sporting calamities when he took a triple-bogey seven at Carnoustie's 18th, having arrived on the tee holding a three-stroke lead with one hole to play.
The sight of him removing his shoes and socks and standing ankle deep in water in the Barry Burn contemplating a recovery shot remains one of golf's abiding images.
Van de Velde, 49, eventually suffered a heartbreaking defeat in a three-way playoff that also featured American Justin Leonard as Scotland's Paul Lawrie lifted the Claret Jug.
The Frenchman will return for another crack at the Scottish course from July 21-24 for his debut in the British Senior Open.
"I know it is part of history. It is part of my life as well as a golfer," Hong Kong-based Van de Velde said in a news release.
"I don't get tired of people talking about 1999 and reminding me about what happened. I am lucky enough to still be involved in golf but I am not as exposed as I was before so it doesn't come up as much in conversation."
Big-hitting American John Daly, the 1995 Open champion at St Andrews, also joins the senior ranks this year and will be at Carnoustie, as will 2004 champion Todd Hamilton.
