Inspirational tale of the ‘old man’ and the tee

THE debate raged on in Turnberry bars and in national phone-ins long after Tom Watson had fled the scene of his flirtation with history.

Was Watson sport’s greatest inspiration? Or was he golf’s greatest embarrassment?

Inevitably, when the emotions had eased and the awe dissipated at how a man six weeks away from his 60th birthday could come within one putt of winning the game’s greatest prize the inquest turned to what Watson’s performance said about golf.