Severiano Ballesteros, 1984 at St Andrews

The Spanish maestro, who retired this week, definitely merits inclusion in our top ten for the 14-foot putt he delivered across the 18th green at St Andrews on the Sunday of the 1984 Open. Ballesteros, two behind Tom Watson going into the final round, needed to sink the putt to be sure of victory after Watson had got into trouble by the wall on the 17th. Having found the cup, Ballesteros celebrated with his famous air-punching routine, providing one of the iconic Open moments.

Bobby Jones, 1926 at Lytham

Okay, we’re going back in time a bit here, but the genius that was Bobby Jones deserves inclusion. Jones played one of the greatest shots of the early Open era, striking a “mashie” all of 180 yards to the 17th hole at Lytham to win by two shots. It would be another four years before Jones’ amazing “impregnable quadrilateral” would be achieved but his genius was already apparent at Lytham in 1926.

Bill Rogers, 1983 at Birkdale

The American, whose golf career pretty quickly petered out following his famous Open win at Sandwich in 1981, still produced one of the great Open shots two years later at Birkdale. Rogers struck a 1-iron downwind for an albatross at the par-5 17th – a feat all the more remarkable given that he was one of the US tour’s shorter hitters.

Gene Sarazen, 1973 at Troon

The Squire, then aged 71, made history not just by holing-in-one at the famous Postage Stamp eighth hole at Troon, but did so in front of the TV cameras, then still making bold, early strides in live broadcasting. Sarazen, amazingly, used a 5-iron for such a short hole – only 123 yards – and his shot bounced twice before rolling into the cup.

Severiano Ballesteros, 1979 at Lytham

Seve’s second shot on the 16th hole en route to his first Open triumph certainly merits inclusion in our top ten and gave birth to one of the great soubriquets of modern golf. The “car-park champion” was so-called because, having slashed his drive way right into a temporary car-park, the Spaniard then produced a gorgeous 9-iron to make par on the 16th and set up victory, beating both Ben Crenshaw and Jack Nicklaus by three shots.

Costantina Rocca, 1995 at St Andrews

The likeable and occasionally hapless Italian sank one of the greatest putts ever seen in an Open. Having completely duffed his chip all of five yards towards the 18th green, Rocca then sank a 50-foot putt for his birdie to force a play-off (which he lost) with John Daly. When the marathon putt dropped in, Rocca famously slumped to the ground, beating the turf with exhilaration.

Nick Faldo, 1992 at Muirfield

Faldo came to the 15th hole at Muirfield needing to catch John Cook and played his most exquisite shot of the week – a faded 5-iron that flew 190 yards and stopped six feet from the pin. It was to be the start of a closing spurt from Faldo that saw him lift his third Claret Jug.

Lee Trevino, 1972 at Muirfield

This was the famous Open in which Trevino broke Tony Jacklin’s heart and his chip-in from off the 18th to conclude five birdies in a row deserves its place on our list. Trevino, in fact, had already chipped in from a bunker on the 16th, though that had an element of luck about it. On 18 there was no luck involved – this was Trevino at his hottest.

Tiger Woods, 2007 at Carnoustie

Let’s be thoroughly up-to-date and include this shot. On Carnoustie’s monstrous 248-yard par 3 16th hole Woods holed an 80-foot putt in Thursday’s first round en route to shooting a 69. Woods himself claimed that it was “a 100-footer”, which was probably a mite exaggerated, but this was still one of the greatest putts in Open history.

Severiano Ballesteros, 1976 at Birkdale

Forgiveness must be applied for the inclusion of a third Ballesteros moment on the list, but this was the moment when the Spaniard burst upon the world. Giving chase to eventual champion, Johnny Miller, Ballestros famously chipped between two bunkers on the 18th at Birkdale to finish tied-second. It was the unveiling of Seve to the world.