THE OPEN: Tom Watson's last stand

BY BRENDAN JAMES AT ST ANDREWS

For 150 years the town of St.Andrews has revered its great champion, Old Tom Morris, the winner of four Open Championships in the 1860s and the long-time keeper of the green on what we know now as the Old Course.

On Friday night, thousands braved the wind and freezing cold to line St.Andrews’ famous 1^st and 18^th fairways to doff their hat in salute to another Old Tom – five-time Open Champion Tom Watson.

In near darkness, with just the lights of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse illuminating the way, 65-year-old Watson waved goodbye to his fans, the Open and the town of St.Andrews. While the original Old Tom was instrumental in starting this oldest of majors championships and struck the first shot in the first Open, Watson’s success in the event over the past 40 years undoubtedly helped to further increase interest across the pond in the United States.

Tom Watson tees off in his last Open Championship. PHOTO: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images.

With day two of this Open Championship being delayed because of course flooding, Watson didn’t start his second round until 4.48pm. He teed off in bright sunshine and was always going to struggle to make the cut after four double bogies late in his first round left him at four over. The late tee time also meant he would struggle to finish his round before darkness fell.

Playing with Brandt Snedeker and Ernie Els, the trio approached the 17th tee shortly before 9:30pm. Heavy cloud had any sunlight covered, with the lights illuminating the columns of the R&A Clubhouse and the adjoining Hamilton Hall standing like a beacon in the distance. Much of the gallery, who had been on course for close to 15 hours, jockeyed for a position along the wall in front of the Old Course Hotel or in the grandstands to cheer Watson home. There had been standing ovations as he passed each grandstand during this round to end all rounds.

The speed in which darkness was falling was, however, conspiring to spoil Watson’s farewell. A decision then had to be made as to whether the trio would continue. Any of the three players had the option to stop the round on the 17^th tee and return early on Saturday morning.

On the tee, Watson was the first to broach the subject. He approached Snedeker and Els, who were both even par and needing two par home to stay within the projected cut line.

"Gentlemen, you're both in the tournament right here," Watson said. "Whatever you want to do, you do. I'm not in the tournament."

Els turned to Snedeker. "You want to finish?"

"Yeah," replied Snedeker, who has idolized Watson since he was a kid, "I'd like to get it over with."

An official approached the group and asked, "Do you want to finish?"

Brandt Snedeker, Ernie Els, Tom Watson and his son and caddie, Michael, pose on the Swilcan Bridge.
PHOTO: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

"We'll finish," Snedeker said.

They played on knowing a two-hole Saturday morning finish would rob Watson of the moment he deserved.

On the 18th tee, Watson walked over to his son Michael, who was caddying for him.

"There should be no tears," Watson said to him. "There should be joy, there have been lots of wonderful memories we've had, we've shared here. You and I have shared some and had so many others, let's go up and go out and enjoy the walk up the last hole." Michael got teary anyway.

With Snedeker making a double bogey six on 17, Watson’s bogey saw him tee off second behind Els who had parred. Watson sent his drive on a line towards the R&A clubhouse, it finished nearly 300 yards away leaving him a testing chip through the Valley of Sin.

Then it was time to follow in the footsteps of Arnold Palmer (2000) and Jack Nicklaus (2005) and pose for the traditional photo and wave goodbye from the Swilcan Bridge. With flashes at the ready, a swarm of photographers jostled for the shot as Watson and his son joined, Els and Snedeker to walk across the iconic bridge together.

Watson posed with his playing partners and then his son. Then Michael left his dad to wave one last goodbye. Watson raised his cap to the standing ovation afford him, he looked to the sky continued on up the fairway.

Fans, who had earlier left the course to go to one of the significant number of pubs and bars in this little town, left their drinks and ran back to the course to catch a glimpse of the retiring champion. The gallery was nearly 10 deep along The Links, the road that runs alongside the 18^th fairway and passes-by Old Tom Morris’ golf shop. Above them, people leaned out of the windows of the Rusacks Hotel and other buildings overlooking the course to applaud Watson.

He returned their praise with a grateful wave all the way to his ball. He probably wishes it could have ended there.

In 2005, Nicklaus famously birdied the final hole but Watson would have no such joy as his short pitch got to the crest of the Valley of Sin at the front of the 18^th green, and trickled back into the hollow.

Snedeker and Els both finished the hole to leave Watson alone on the stage. It was 9.54pm and the sun had long gone.

Watson stood over his ball and motioned to Michael to put the flagstick in because "it's too dark to see the hole."

He putted up from the fairway then putted once more before tapping in for a bogey five – his fifth consecutive to close out his Open career. It wasn’t the finish he was looking for but no one will remember that when they hear the name Tom Watson.

Watson left the green to be embraced by family and friends on the steps of the R&A Clubhouse. Among he throng, were fellow players Tom Lehman, Graeme McDowell and Matt Kuchar. Webb Simpson was taking pictures on his phone, while McDowell was Periscoping the moment for the world to see on Twitter.

The final bow: Thanks Mr Watson.
PHOTO: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

For Watson, the curtain had closed on the day and a magnificent Open Championship career that spanned 40 years, 38 appearances, five victories and a further five top-10 finishes including his second place at the 2009 Open at Turnberry, aged 59.

He held back the tears as he played the final hole but it was not hard to see he was deeply appreciative of the moment.

“About halfway up, just across the road, and I'm looking all the way up the right side, and then to the back, and the road is all jammed with people and I thought of the story about Bobby Jones,” he said.

“When Bobby Jones had won the Grand Slam, he came back and played a friendly here at the Old Course in St. Andrews. I'm not putting myself in the same shoes as Bobby Jones, but walking up that 18th hole, as the legend goes, Bobby Jones was engulfed by thousands of people who had come out and heard that he was on the golf course, and they watched him finish right there at the 18th hole.

“And when I was going up there just across the road, I think I had an inkling of what Bobby Jones probably felt like when he walked up the 18th hole. Again, there's just so much joy in walking up that hole.”

He reiterated he only had joy in his heart and no sadness now that his time at the Open was done.

“It's all joy,” he said. “There's no reason to be sad. I played a game for a living, and I played it pretty well over times, although I go back to it, I think this is the 11th cut I've missed in The Open, but I did pretty well in other times.

“It's a special place with special people, from day one when I started at Carnoustie right across the waters over here. It was a time of – it was an unexpected win. It was an unexpected time. I've told the story, I didn't like links golf at that time, but I learned to love it.”

And with that, he gave this thanks and with all the class that he played the game, he left to join his family for dinner. Thanks for the memories Mr Watson.