Custom Google Search - Courtesy of The Caddy Space
Tom Watson
Thomas Sturges "Tom" Watson (born September 4, 1949) is an American PGA Tour golfer and now mostly Champions Tour golfer.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Watson was one of the leading players in the world, winning eight major championships and heading the PGA Tour money list five times. He was the number one player in the world according to McCormack's World Golf Rankings from 1978 through 1982; in both 1983 and 1984 he was ranked second behind Seve Ballesteros. He also spent 32 weeks in the top 10 of the successor Sony Rankings in their debut in 1986.
Watson is now also notable for defying age - at nearly 60 years - to mostly lead and tie the 2009 Open Championship to enter a 4 hole play-off; 26 years after his last major - and last Open - victory. His second shot to the par-4 72nd hole skirted past the hole to lie on the fringe, yet he took three putts to get down from there, putting him in a playoff with Stewart Cink, which he lost.
Of Watson's eight major championships five were Open Championships, two Masters titles and one U.S. Open title. The only "major" that eluded him is the PGA Championship, which would have put him in an elite group of golfing "grand slam" winners that includes Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen, and Tiger Woods. In all, Watson ranks 6th on the list of total major championship victories, and he is one of only fourteen players to have won at least three of the four golfing major titles.
Several of Watson's major victories came at the expense of Jack Nicklaus, the man he replaced as number one, most notably the 1977 Open Championship and the 1982 U.S. Open. Though his rivalry with Nicklaus was intense their friendly competitiveness served to increase golf's popularity during the time.
Watson is generally regarded as one of the greatest links players of all time, a claim backed up by his five Open Championship victories; and his competitiveness in the 2009 Open Championship, as well as his three Senior Open Championship titles in his mid-50s (2003, 2005, and 2007).
In the 1970s and 1980s, Watson was one of the leading players in the world, winning eight major championships and heading the PGA Tour money list five times. He was the number one player in the world according to McCormack's World Golf Rankings from 1978 through 1982; in both 1983 and 1984 he was ranked second behind Seve Ballesteros. He also spent 32 weeks in the top 10 of the successor Sony Rankings in their debut in 1986.
Watson is now also notable for defying age - at nearly 60 years - to mostly lead and tie the 2009 Open Championship to enter a 4 hole play-off; 26 years after his last major - and last Open - victory. His second shot to the par-4 72nd hole skirted past the hole to lie on the fringe, yet he took three putts to get down from there, putting him in a playoff with Stewart Cink, which he lost.
Of Watson's eight major championships five were Open Championships, two Masters titles and one U.S. Open title. The only "major" that eluded him is the PGA Championship, which would have put him in an elite group of golfing "grand slam" winners that includes Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen, and Tiger Woods. In all, Watson ranks 6th on the list of total major championship victories, and he is one of only fourteen players to have won at least three of the four golfing major titles.
Several of Watson's major victories came at the expense of Jack Nicklaus, the man he replaced as number one, most notably the 1977 Open Championship and the 1982 U.S. Open. Though his rivalry with Nicklaus was intense their friendly competitiveness served to increase golf's popularity during the time.
Watson is generally regarded as one of the greatest links players of all time, a claim backed up by his five Open Championship victories; and his competitiveness in the 2009 Open Championship, as well as his three Senior Open Championship titles in his mid-50s (2003, 2005, and 2007).
Tom Watson Biography
In the period of time between Jack Nicklaus' peak andTiger Woods' peak, Watson was head-and-shoulders above any other golfer in the world.
Watson stood up to Nicklaus on numerous occasions, one of the few golfers who consistently went toe-to-toe with Nicklaus and came out on top.
Their duel at the 1977 British Open- where Nicklaus shot 66-66 over the final two rounds, while Watson shot 66-65 to win by one - is one of the greatest head-to-head battles the sport has ever seen. Watson robbed Nicklaus of another major at the 1982 U.S. Open with his famous chip-in on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach. In fact, in four of Watson's eight major championship wins, Nicklaus was runner-up.
Watson played golf at Stanford University and graduated with a degree in psychology. He turned pro in 1971, but in his early years got the reputation of a player who wilted under pressure.
Watson began working with Bryon Nelson, who would become a great friend and mentor, and in 1974 broke through with his first PGA Tour victory. In 1975, he won the Bryon Nelson Classic, then his first British Open title. Watson was off and running.
He would go on to win the British Open a total of five times; the Masters twice, and the U.S. Open once. He led the PGA Tour in wins six years, in money five years, in scoring three years. He was PGA Tour Player of the Year six times.
During those years, Watson was an aggressive putter, fabulous chipper and unsurpassed from tee to green.
His final PGA Tour victory came in 1998. In 1999, he began playing on the Champions Tour. Watson was Player of the Year in 2003, but the year also was marked by sadness: his longtime caddie, Bruce Edwards, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Watson co-founded an organization, Driving 4 Life, to fight ALS. He donated $1 million to the foundation, and during 2003 alone Watson helped raise nearly $3 million for ALS-related causes and other charities.
In 2007, Watson won his third British Senior Open. And in 2009, Watson, nearly 60 years old, gave golf fans a thrill when he held or shared the lead in the British Open after the second and third rounds and nearly all the final round. He reached the 72nd-hole tee with a 1-stroke lead, but bogied and then lost to Stewart Cink in a four-hole playoff. Had Watson pulled off the victory, he would have been, by far, the oldest major championship winner ever.
Tom Watson was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.
Watson stood up to Nicklaus on numerous occasions, one of the few golfers who consistently went toe-to-toe with Nicklaus and came out on top.
Their duel at the 1977 British Open- where Nicklaus shot 66-66 over the final two rounds, while Watson shot 66-65 to win by one - is one of the greatest head-to-head battles the sport has ever seen. Watson robbed Nicklaus of another major at the 1982 U.S. Open with his famous chip-in on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach. In fact, in four of Watson's eight major championship wins, Nicklaus was runner-up.
Watson played golf at Stanford University and graduated with a degree in psychology. He turned pro in 1971, but in his early years got the reputation of a player who wilted under pressure.
Watson began working with Bryon Nelson, who would become a great friend and mentor, and in 1974 broke through with his first PGA Tour victory. In 1975, he won the Bryon Nelson Classic, then his first British Open title. Watson was off and running.
He would go on to win the British Open a total of five times; the Masters twice, and the U.S. Open once. He led the PGA Tour in wins six years, in money five years, in scoring three years. He was PGA Tour Player of the Year six times.
During those years, Watson was an aggressive putter, fabulous chipper and unsurpassed from tee to green.
His final PGA Tour victory came in 1998. In 1999, he began playing on the Champions Tour. Watson was Player of the Year in 2003, but the year also was marked by sadness: his longtime caddie, Bruce Edwards, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. Watson co-founded an organization, Driving 4 Life, to fight ALS. He donated $1 million to the foundation, and during 2003 alone Watson helped raise nearly $3 million for ALS-related causes and other charities.
In 2007, Watson won his third British Senior Open. And in 2009, Watson, nearly 60 years old, gave golf fans a thrill when he held or shared the lead in the British Open after the second and third rounds and nearly all the final round. He reached the 72nd-hole tee with a 1-stroke lead, but bogied and then lost to Stewart Cink in a four-hole playoff. Had Watson pulled off the victory, he would have been, by far, the oldest major championship winner ever.
Tom Watson was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.
Major Championships: 8
• Masters: 1977, 1981
• U.S. Open: 1982
• British Open: 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983
Awards and Honors:
• Member, World Golf Hall of Fame
• PGA Tour money leader five times
• PGA Tour Vardon Trophy winner three times
• PGA Tour Player of the Year six times
• Masters: 1977, 1981
• U.S. Open: 1982
• British Open: 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983
Awards and Honors:
• Member, World Golf Hall of Fame
• PGA Tour money leader five times
• PGA Tour Vardon Trophy winner three times
• PGA Tour Player of the Year six times
