Tom Watson: The dream almost came true

After his heartbreaking second placed finish, Tom Watson spoke about how close he came to winning, his tournament week as a whole and about how he feels to have been so close, yet so far

Well it just wasn't to be, the greatest story in sporting history, didn't happen. But hats have got to go off to 59-year-old Tom Watson as he was so close, yet so far from claiming his sixth Open title and writing his name in the sporting books as being one of the greatest sportsman ever.

When greeted with a near silent yet full press room Watson showed he still had a great sense of humour.

"This ain't a funeral, you know?"

Talking about his bogey on the 72nd hole

"In retrospect I should have hit a 9-iron rather than an 8-iron. I hit the 8-iron just the way I meant to. In the air I said 'I like it' but it hit the green and ran through the back."

Replying to a question about whether it was good to compete in a tournament again he said

"I don't like to go to Augusta anymore because I fell like a ceremonial golfer there; I can't play that golf course anymore. But out here I have a chance."

Watson's overall feelings of the week

"It's a disappointment. I'll take some good things from it (the week), but it's still a disappointment to do what I did and lose the golf tournament."

When asked about what newspaper headline he would like for the whole tournament Watson laughed

"A good headline? - The old fogey almost did it"

 

Thomas Patrick Clarke
Sports Digital Editor


Tom Clarke joined Golf Monthly as a sub editor in 2009 being promoted to content editor in 2012 and then senior content editor in 2014, before becoming Sports Digital Editor for the Sport Vertical within Future in 2022. Tom currently looks after all the digital products that Golf Monthly produce including Strategy and Content Planning for the website and social media - Tom also assists the Cycling, Football, Rugby and Marine titles at Future. Tom plays off 16 and lists Augusta National (name drop), Old Head and Le Touessrok as the favourite courses he has played. Tom is an avid viewer of all golf content with a particularly in depth knowledge of the pro tour.