Watson rolls back the clock at St Andrews

MIGUEL Angel Jiminez, the popular cigar smoking Spaniard, held his nerve to carve out a one-shot victory at the British Seniors Open in St Andrews on Sunday but it was the performance of Tom Watson, particularly on Friday and Saturday, that had many of us enthralled.

Three years on from his emotional farewell to the Open championship at St Andrews, the 68 year-old shot his age on Friday at the famous Scottish links following an opening 69 and with five to play on Saturday, he actually led the championship by a shot before falling away to finish three behind Jiminez with one round to play.

A final round of 77 saw him finish in a tie for 21st place but for those of us who are life-long devoted fans of the Kansas City native, it was a trip down memory lane as he drove the ball long and straight, peppered the flag with his irons shots and managed to even hole a few putts before he ran out of steam.

A winner of five Open championships and three Seniors Open Championships, Watson ironically never won any of the eight claret jugs at the home of golf which is something he would dearly have loved to do, given his interest in the game’s history and traditions.

Given his age and the fact that the tournament may not return to St Andrews for another four or five years, it looks like his final chance to break his St Andrews duck has now gone.