Watson focusing on the positives

STEWART CINK deserved his 2009 Open Championship victory and nobody can take anything away from the way he achieved it. He has improved from 33rd in the world rankings to ninth and is surely headed in the right direction.

Those of us who remember the tiny putt that cost him a US Open play-off at Southern Hills, Tulsa, in 2001 are glad this day has come around because nobody should have to carry that kind of stigma through life.

Nevertheless, he is already being regarded as a party pooper, but judging by his happy demeanour and that of his fine family (wife Lisa, son Connor, 15, and daughter Reagan, 12), you suspect he will cope pretty easily.

And so, too, will Tom Watson who essentially threw it all away with that dismal putt on the 18th.

The first comment he made at his media interview was: “This ain’t a funeral, but it would have been a hell of a story, wouldn’t it? It wasn’t to be.

“And yes, it’s a great disappointment. It tears at your gut, as it always has torn at my gut. It’s not easy to take.”

When Tiger Woods departed the scene on Friday night having missed the cut and with Phil Mickelson otherwise engaged, it seemed the final two days of the championship lacked a really big name to maintain the interest levels. And it was then that 59 year-old Tom Watson answered the call.

“The crowds were just wonderful to me all week,” he said

But, then, why wouldn’t they be? He made their week for goodness sake. They knew Tom was saving the tournament and they were right for nothing was more absorbing than the way all those tremendous golfers fought their way down the stretch on Sunday night.

You have to feel sorry for so many of them, not just Watson but Lee Westwood, so near and yet so far again; his fellow Englishmen Ross Fisher and Chris Wood, obviously deriving the benefits of having vastly experienced Irishman Dave MacNeilly on his bag, the little-known Australian Matty Goggin, the imperturbable South African Retief Goosen, the Italian amateur Matteo Manassero and so many others.

And yet every conversation on Sunday night was dominated by the name of Tom Watson who in turn warmly congratulated the fans for their contribution to his amazing effort.

“You were wonderful to me all week,” he said. “It reminds me of what it used to be like when you played the big Tour, played the kids’ Tour, and were in contention all the time and the responsibilities that you had, that you have, to take care of business.

“My hat goes off to Tiger for what he has to go through on a weekly basis with all the things pulling at him, as much as he wins and as much as he’s in the limelight.”

The big question, of course, was whether Watson ran out of steam after taking the fatal bogey at 18, that maybe he was unable to lift himself for the last thing he wanted after such an exhausting week – a play-off.

“It looked like it, didn’t it?” he smiled ruefully.

“It didn’t feel like it, but it just looked like it. I hit a chubby 5-iron for my second shot on the first playoff hole. The hybrid I hit on the second, I got stuck in that. My legs didn’t work at the drive at 17, and that was about it, yeah. By that time Stewart had it pretty well in hand.

“Coming into this week I could have dreamt it, yes, the way I was playing. I really felt I was playing well, and I knew how to play this golf course. And the dream almost came true. I don’t like to go to Augusta anymore because I feel like I’m a ceremonial golfer there. I can’t play that golf course anymore. But out here I have a chance. And I knew I had a chance starting out. So, yeah, I’m glad this happened.”

So now it’s on to St Andrews in 2010 and Watson is eligible to play on two counts – he still won’t have passed his 60th year and also qualifies through his second place at Turnberry.

Can he do as well at the “Home of Golf”?

“If the wind comes from the west there, I have a hard time with that golf course,” he reasoned.

“Hole No. 4 gets me. I can’t hit it far enough to get it over the junk. You have the rough there and it depends on how deep it is. I’m driving into the rough all the time. But I feel like I can play St Andrews. I still have some of the shots to be able to play that golf course.”

All in all, then Tom, what was the week like for you? “It was fun,” he smiled. “It was just like my son said, ‘Have fun, Dad’. It was fun out there. It was fun to be in the mix of it again and having the kids who were my kids’ age out there just looking up at you, what are you doing out here doing this, and saying, all right, nice going. You can still play.

“When all is said and done, one of the things I hope that will come out of my life is that my peers will say, you know, that Watson, he was a hell of a golfer.”

Pádraig Harrington has dropped a further two spots in the world rankings to 16th while Rory McIlroy has gone back 26th and Graeme McDowell is the only other Irishman inside the top 50 in 47th.