Rouse: Watson eyes British Open
ST. ANDREWS HAS ALWAYS PLAGUED TOM WATSON, by Charles (Chip) Rouse
KANSAS CITY – Seemingly ageless Tom Watson is back at it again this week, across the Atlantic preparing for yet another record run at his most favorite of all the major golf championships, the Open Championship, better known stateside as the British Open. This year, the Open Championship returns to the revered “home of golf,” the Old Course at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews in Scotland. Watson will be one of the 156 golfers from around the world competing in the 150th anniversary edition of Britain’s prized 72-hole Open Championship when play begins on Thursday.
It was just a few weeks ago that the 60-years-young Watson played into the weekend at the 110th U.S. Open Championship at famed Pebble Beach, the site of his spectacular 17th-hole chip shot 28 years that sent him on to victory over the great Jack Nicklaus and forever seared the name Watson into the annals of golf. And there he was again at this year’s U.S. Open, the only one to play in all five U.S. Opens ever held at Pebble Beach, among the leaders heading into the final round.
“I knew if I was going to have a chance that I needed to get off to a good start in Sunday’s final round,” Watson said about this year’s U.S. Open in a recent interview with The Kansas City Star. Watson did get off to a good start, but made costly mistakes on the turn at holes 10 and 11. “You can’t do that at Pebble Beach and get away with it,” he reflected afterwards. Of course, no golf fan can forget the remarkable run that the five-time British Open champion had at last year’s Open Championship. Watson was in position on the 72nd hole to win his sixth Open title, but missed a short put sending the championship into a playoff, which he eventually lost to fellow U.S. golfer Stewart Cink.
Had the Kansas City native held on to win last year at Turnberry, where Watson had triumphed twice before (in the British Open in1977 and in the Senior British Open in 2003), it not only would have been the sixth time he had beaten the best in the and world and hoisted the coveted Claret Jug, awarded to the winner of the Open Championship, but he would have become the oldest golfer to win a major championship.
Watson’s five British Open titles tie him for the most by any golfer since World War II. In addition to the two links wins he had at Turnberry, he also won the championship at Carnouste (1975), Muirfield (1980), Royal Troon (982) and Royal Birkdale (1983). Watson also has senior wins at Royal Aberdeen (2005) and, again, at Muirfield (2007) to go along with the 2003 senior championship he won at Turnberry. For all the professional success and personal enjoyment Watson has experienced playing on Scottish links courses, the Old Course at St. Andrews is conspicuous by its absence among Watson’s more memorable moments playing in the Open Championship.
St. Andrews is the one course on the Open Championship circuit on which the pro golf veteran Watson has rarely experienced success. He finished second in the 1984 Championship contested on the Old Course, but in five other Opens played there, Watson has finished in the top 20 only once. Watson readily admits that for many years, the legendary St. Andrews Old Course layout, reputed to be the world’s oldest golf course, was among his least favorite Scottish links courses.
With all the blind shots and the unpredictable bounce of the ball, he felt that St. Andrews too often ended up punishing well-played golf shots and rewarding lucky or poorly played strokes. Time manages to heal all wounds, though, and, as such, Watson’s view toward St. Andrews has become a little less critical. “Rather than fighting it, I decided to just go with it and go with the bounces,” he said. Watson knows that this may be his last chance, outside of senior events, to change his troublesome trend at St. Andrews. “I’m playing pretty well right now,” he told reporters this week, “but ask me the same question on Wednesday before the tournament starts.”
“I feel like I’m putting well enough, but you’re faced with more long putts at St. Andrews than anywhere else you play. A 30-foot putt is a short putt on that course.” In Watson’s own words, “Who Knows?” We’ll be able to see for ourselves as the Open Championship plays out later this week and into the weekend. One thing is for certain. Watson is still one of the most popular golfers in the Open field, and his loyal Scottish followers will be pulling for the ageless wonder to do it one more time – and on the Old Course – for old time’s sake.
Charles (Chip) F. Rouse III, the Kansas City Sports Examiner, has spent over 40 years working in and with the news media. Rouse, a journalist by training and a graduate of the University of Kansas, has served in the role of newspaper reporter; in addition to radio and television. To view Chip’s sports articles, including this one, on Examiner.com, please click here. He welcomes your comments at crouse@massappealnews.com.