The best ever comeback? Don’t forget Ben Hogan

it IS entirely understandable to declare tiger Woods’ Masters victory as the greatest comeback in sporting history — but it’s a verdict that needs an asterisk even when talking about golf, let alone any other pursuit. it is just over 70 years since a car driven by Ben Hogan was involved in a head-on collision in foggy conditions with a greyhound bus in texas. in throwing himself across the legs of his wife Valerie in a successful effort to protect her, Hogan probably saved his own life as well since the steering wheel demolished the driver’s seat. even so, he suffered a horrific catalogue of injuries: a double fracture of the pelvis, a fractured collarbone, fractured left ankle, broken ribs — and that’s before we talk about blood clots so severe it required a surgeon to fly from new orleans in a US Air Force plane to save his life. eleven months later, Hogan returned to golf at the Los Angeles open, where he lost a play-off to Sam Snead. A year after that he won the US open at Merion. that day and for the rest of his life, Hogan suffered circulation problems that caused him great pain as he came towards the end of 18 holes. it did not prevent him from winning six of his nine majors following his accident, including three in a row in 1953. the third of those came in his only appearance at the open at Carnoustie, where he was so exhausted after each round he went straight to bed. At the par-five sixth hole he was the only player to find the narrow strip of fairway in each round, and the area is still known to this day as Hogan’s Alley. Yes, tiger’s comeback is certainly in the conversation when it comes to the most miraculous — but you can excuse long-time followers of the royal & Ancient game if they feel it remains firmly up for debate.