Open legend Watson in surprise retirement
It will be like Luciano Pavarotti signing off at La Scala. Tom Watson will today play his final competitive round of links golf and Royal Lytham and St Annes will bid an emotional farewell to the greatest seaside golf practitioner of the past 100 years – and the most popular, as well.
Watson, 69, revealed the surprise news following the third round of the Senior Open yesterday. After 38 Open appearances, five Claret Jugs, three Senior Opens and so many more precious memories, he will finally say goodbye to major golf.
“I’ve thought long and hard about this decision,” Watson said, after making his 18th cut in the Senior Open. “It has to do with really a pretty sensible assessment of how I play now – I just don’t have the tools in the toolbox.
“I’ve had a good career all these years and run across so many fine people who have helped me. First of all, my wife [Hilary] who is battling cancer now. It’s going to give me some time to go out and compete with her.”
Watson first competed in the Open in 1975 and became only the third golfer in the modern era to win on his debut. His favourite Open success came two years later at Turnberry, where he overcame Jack Nicklaus in The Duel in the Sun. Watson prevailed again in 1980 at Muirfield, 1982 at Royal Troon and 1983 at Royal Birkdale.
Upon turning 50, Watson lifted the Senior Open in 2003 and then again in 2005 and 2007. As well as that unparalleled list of triumphs, Watson will be forever remembered for the 2009 Open at Turnberry when, at 59, he was unbeaten over 72 holes, eventually losing to Stewart Cink – 23 years his junior – in a four hole play-off.
His links retirement overshadowed the third day, with England’s Paul Broadhurst, trying to win for the second time in four years, on five under, one clear of American Woody Austin.
There is another stroke back to Austin’s countrymen, Ken Duke and Wes Short Jnr, with two Welshmen in Phillip Price and Stephen Dodd on two under, alongside German Bernhard Langer. Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke is on one under and still in with a shout of becoming the first UK golfer to win both the Open and Senior Open.