Behind those cool blue eyes lies an early-model terminator. One can be sure that he won't throw it away. Bend like the tree grasshopper, but do not break. Do we want 'easy' pins tomorrow that would help the birdie addicts? I think Tom wants the tough pins, because then everyone has to 2-putt every green, and he can handle that. Have we seen so many long approach shots in a tournament recently. It's telling that the longest iron Mr. Marino has every used is a 4 iron.

I'm surprised so many guys from Texas went home early.

The Baby Boomers have come and gone in the Oval Office, but they haven't left the final group in The Open Championship on Sunday. This MUST redefine golf as a professional sport.

'When he won the 1975 Open at Carnoustie and the ’77 instalment at Turnberry, he did not fully appreciate the element of bounce and luck involved. However, when it came to Lytham in 1979 he told himself he simply had to learn “to roll with the punches” if he was going to be a true champion… “And that’s what I did. I didn’t play very well at Lytham but at least I rolled with the punches and I went on to win in all three of ’80, 82 and 83.”

'Today, in what is his fourth Open and sixth championship in all over the Ailsa course, Watson says he has “a feel for the conditions which is worth its weight in gold”. '

Indeed.

As Nick Price said, fiftysomethings shouldn't even tee it up at the Open these days. The heart-pounding stress of ending up in contention is just too risky!

I've been following the Open interactive video and the Live Radio feeds off the Open site and one (I forget which) mentioned Watson went into this event with so much optimism he was setting his alarm clock to 4 am local (US) time the week before the Open in an effort to acclimate himself to the time difference in the UK.
No idea if he'll win, but he's not kidding around.

Watson will win.

I'm hoping Watson wins just so I can hear a little less about Jack's win at Augusta in '86. I've always liked and respected Tom Watson, and wished I was alive to see him more. I'll be pulling for him.

Is the thrill and joy of watching Watson's performance rooted in his age, or is more than that? Is it his impeccable golfing manners? He is what golf once was.

I understand they are very different courses and tournaments but it has to say something that he is just a ceremonial golfer at Augusta and at the Open he is a contender.

If he wins, will The Masters change?

To me this renders silly all the hysterical talk about rolling back the ball. Watson is showing that course management, driving accuracy and touch around the greens will quite often (though not always) trump raw power, as long as the appropriate hazards are in play. And I have to say, those vertical-faced bunkers are appropriate hazards.

Geoff: What is so strange about the course setup?

I've always been a great fan of Tom Watson, were're the same age, and my old RAM Staff bag with the Tour Grinds sits in retired splendour in my home office. I will allow that he does play the game a tad better than I do. I've been fortunate to follow him in several Opens, and spent 5 mins chatting with him.

I've always loved his style of play and he showed us pure magic these past three rounds and I'm sure he will go on to win in class and style tomorrow. A 6th will tie him with the great Harry Vardon.

Nothing but best wishes for him tomorrow.

I have my doubts about his nerves holding up for 4 straight days. Those 5 footers on the back nine will not be easy. I would love to see him win though.

Scott, so if Watson is this good with today's equipment, why doesn't he win elsewhere or as he says, he can't play Augusta any longer?

Actually Watson has explained it himself. Links golf allows him to overcome the length that today's equipment and ball edge provide the player. He can run it in. Unfortunately many of today's architects haven't studied how to build this kind of course here. Too busy designing water features.

Lynn, it's not just links golf and the hardness of the fairways, although that's a huge factor in Watson's success. It's the penal nature of the pot bunkers and the gorse/heather. Both of those hazards are easily half-shot penalties (unlike our "pancake" bunkers that pros actually want to be in).

Turnberry's bunkers take the power and muscle right out of the bomber's arsenal. And a savvy old coot like Watson knows how to stay out of them. So no, given what I've seen this week, I see no need to roll back the ball. Just build some of those fiendish bunkers here!

What a breath of fresh air. I am tired of swearing, tossing clubs, and making excuses.

Jim, don't bet the house on Watson tomorrow.

It would be a great story, but I just don't see him holding up.

What jeff said. And Aunt Blabbie. In spades. Tom Watson plays a game with which the "bomb and gouge crew" are not familiar. It's called golf. Tom may not win tomorrow, but he won't throw it away.

I hope he wins. He would be a great Captain's pick for the Ryder Cup.

Gents (and Ladies),

The real TW of the links is right where he should be! To even compare Sogusta to this type of golf is offensive. It's a different game. The timeless brillance of links golf is the endless variety of shots than can be played to secure the score. Refreshing ...that the play of the field, not media-induced preoccupation with what one player is doing, will be the Sunday story. If the AWESOME links stud that is OLD Tom has the nerves to handle the flat stick...NO MAN in the field will beat him tomorrow...unless they have a candy set-up that ordains a birdie -fest...which would be criminal. Enjoy the show!

Freddy could pick him for this years President Cup in San Francisco.

Well said Sir Real. And Geoff, what's your beef with the course setup? It's playing great. Just hope it stays breezy tomorrow.

I hope Watson wins, but don't forget those US Senior Opens at Prarie Dunes and Whistling Straits. There's a long way to go between now and the 72nd green, and Watson's recent history with final round leads hasn't been very good.

sir real, regarding Augusta: Exactly! But we should remember that Bob Jones and Alister MacKenzie used the Old Course as their model. At one time in the not-too-distant past there were any number of routes to victory in the Masters. Now? Not so much, for whatever real reason. But maybe Billy Payne is working on that. We'll see.

Watson may lose on Sunday. . . Not necessarily because he falters but simply because there are a lot of players close to the lead and one or two can have a career day. . . It does occur to me that these "old fashioned" Open Championship courses seem to have something that almost all U.S. tournament courses do not have . . . Rewarding the ability to play the "ground game." . . . It is the real equalizer isn't it? . . .

"...that was a great feeling. That was when I fell in love with golf. I'd always loved it, but from that point forward it was a stronger love". T. Watson, Turnberry, 1977.


Here's hoping for "One in the Sun". A better memory than "Wallow in the Wind" or "Buffoons in the Dunes" or some such.

Please Tom, don't dress like an old fart which is what Norman did last year.

Hey, this could really be a white belt moment, couldn't it?

Could Pickworth actually be the moniker for Marty Hackel????

No way. I'm freezing cold down here in Melbourne, a long way away from the fashion centre of the universe, which according to Geoff is somewhere in California, of course. Flattered by the suggestion, Mr Blackwell, but I think I'd better leave it there. We don't want to get into my pleat collection, do we? Thought not.

In 1984 Tom Watson won the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne. Pater Thomson interviewed him straight afterwards. After some polite chatter Thomson asked him how he felt about not winning at St Andrews earlier in the year (Seve's air punch, remember?) and completing three Open victories in a row. Of course, Thomson had done just that in '54, '55, '56.

It was an absolute bitch of a thing to say, I thought.

Watson's response was elegant and polite, completely free of both agression and defensiveness. I wouldn't have blamed him for snotting Thomson.

He went on to describe Mackenzie's bunkering thus: "The bunkers are high in the high spots and low in the low spots". He had the visual style down exactly right, in one visit.

I couldn't go against Matt Goggin in the closing holes, but I admire Watson greatly. It would be magical if he won.

Some great posts here!I think this has been a terrific Open so far-so what if Tiger isnt here-the world goes on without him.Links golf is great-not the only form of golf of course but a fascinating one none the less.I hope the R and A never bows to pressure and changes the way they do the Open because the overwhelming majority of the British public love it and I know lots of people from all over the world feel the same.And to those who dont like it ,dont understand it or just cant do it dont ask it to change-just go jump in the lake at the front of the 18th green on your favourite course-oh yes and try to avoid the fountain on the way!
Finally!As a Brit I'd love Fisher or Westwood to win-but I'd love Watson to win even more!

Not to be a prick or anything, but the 'media induced pre-occupation' with one golfer has simply switched targets to Tom Watson. The collective media have put all the eggs, the chicken, the farm and the farmer in one basket.

For me, the most compelling 'story' will be what happens if Watson finally craps the bed. Who the heck will they show? Will they just go to essays about 'what could have been' all day long? They've been showing Watson on the range in lieu of golf for a long time now. Tirico has 3 screens worth of Watson bullet points on his spreadsheet and they've assuredly got no end of Watson features lined up.

Actually, if he does crap the bed, we might finally be able to see coverage of the golf rather than coverage of the 'story'. I'm excited about that.