Duel in the sun.....

[Chef2]

This year marks the 40th anniversary of what many (me included) think is the best Open ever.

i never knew that the final round of this Open was held on Saturday, and this was Turnberry's first Open.

It was also Arnold Palmer's last Top 10 in a Major.

FWIW: If Watson wins here in 09, it's the greatest feat in sport. Period.

 

[JC]

This year marks the 40th anniversary of what many (me included) think is the best Open ever.

i never knew that the final round of this Open was held on Saturday, and this was Turnberry's first Open.

It was also Arnold Palmer's last Top 10 in a Major.

FWIW: If Watson wins here in 09, it's the greatest feat in sport. Period.

Some serious hyperbole here.

 

[poindexter]

Some serious hyperbole here.

Someone has mentioned that before on this board, and it was probably Chef2. He's got a boner for Watson and that tournament. Its not in the top 100 of greatest feats of sport.

Think about every athletic event that has ever taken place. THAT is the greatest.

Okay.

 

[dixiehack]

Oh noes! Somebody has a contradictory sports opinion on the internet!

 

[CD Boogie]

This year marks the 40th anniversary of what many (me included) think is the best Open ever.

i never knew that the final round of this Open was held on Saturday, and this was Turnberry's first Open.

It was also Arnold Palmer's last Top 10 in a Major.

FWIW: If Watson wins here in 09, it's the greatest feat in sport. Period.

Definitely the greatest feat by an old white dude who's probably not sweating.

 

[TyWebb]

Chef's drunk again.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

If he had just used the word golf instead of sports, Chef would have a case worthy of debate, although I'd disagree.

 

[Chef2]

aw: i'm being ridiculed, and for good reason.
i was posting from my i phone.....i honestly thought i typed in "the sport"

 

[Michael_ Gee]

aw: i'm being ridiculed, and for good reason.
i was posting from my i phone.....i honestly thought i typed in "the sport"

There's nothing worse than when the words in your head are not the words in your fingers. I've been there many times. Seriously, however, even had Watson won, I'd still pick Tiger at Pebble in the 2000 Open for one tournament accomplishment. To win by 15 strokes, to be 12-under when no one else could break par? I was there, and it was hard to believe even as I watched it happen and after it happened.

 

[Vombatus]

aw: i'm being ridiculed, and for good reason.
i was posting from my i phone.....i honestly thought i typed in "the sport"

Better count your toes.

 

[Chef2]

Better count your toes.

touché

 

[User 149557]

Hot Take: Almost a decade later, it's almost as if Watson won at Turnberry in 2009. No one remember anything about it other than Tom Watson almost won a major at age 59. And because his legacy was so cemented, the bogey on 18 doesn't even make the first five paragraphs of his obit. I guess the lesson is if you're going to lose a major that way, be a decade into your senior tour career and already have eight majors in the bag.

 

[playthrough]

Hot Take: Almost a decade later, it's almost as if Watson won at Turnberry in 2009. No one remember anything about it other than Tom Watson almost won a major at age 59. And because his legacy was so cemented, the bogey on 18 doesn't even make the first five paragraphs of his obit. I guess the lesson is if you're going to lose a major that way, be a decade into your senior tour career and already have eight majors in the bag.

He had one of the great opening lines in that press conference -- "Nobody died!" -- but I felt like I did a little, just watching it. Talk about everything lining up so perfectly ... but it got away. Then everyone knew he wouldn't win the playoff. I crossed paths with him a few times in subsequent years while working tournaments and that Open was always the first thing on my mind.

I won't go all-ESPN with ranking great sports feats, but if anyone has Jack winning the Masters at 46 on their list, then Watson winning that British would have had to be right next to it or ahead. Dang it, Tom.

 

[Chef2]

He had one of the great opening lines in that press conference -- "Nobody died!" -- but I felt like I did a little, just watching it. Talk about everything lining up so perfectly ... but it got away. Then everyone knew he wouldn't win the playoff. I crossed paths with him a few times in subsequent years while working tournaments and that Open was always the first thing on my mind.

I won't go all-ESPN with ranking great sports feats, but if anyone has Jack winning the Masters at 46 on their list, then Watson winning that British would have had to be right next to it or ahead. Dang it, Tom.

If he hits 9-iron instead of 8-iron, he wins.
Now, have fun telling Tom Watson to hit 9 from 182.
Prison-****ed an 8. No spin. It happens.
But son of a *****, do I wish he won it.

 

[MileHigh]

Pulling out 2009 would have been mind-boggling incredible -- and it was at the time. But the air was let out after the bogey on 18. He wasn't going to win it. Like the 2015 Open -- it was anticlimatic when Spieth missed the chip and the Slam was gone.

Jack in '86 still tops the sport for dramatics and history. Tiger in 2000 at Pebble is right there in the homestretch. Tiger in 2008 at Torrey not far behind. Looking forward to the Golf Channel's docu on the Duel in the Sun.

 

[Chef2]

Pulling out 2009 would have been mind-boggling incredible -- and it was at the time. But the air was let out after the bogey on 18. He wasn't going to win it. Like the 2015 Open -- it was anticlimatic when Spieth missed the chip and the Slam was gone.

And Watson knew it too. The ol bugaboo got him on 18. The 5-footer. He had no shot in the playoff, but as he said after the round......it would have been a helluva story.

 

[qtlaw]

And Watson knew it too. The ol bugaboo got him on 18. The 5-footer. He had no shot in the playoff, but as he said after the round......it would have been a helluva story.

His chip on 18 looked awful; I knew he had no chance on the putt back (talk about a jabbed putt under pressure).
2009 was a great year for woulda, shoulda, coulda in golf,, Kenny Perry at the Masters, then Watson at Turnberry.

Watson is/was a fairly prickly person, but damn it would have been great to see him win at 59.

 

[da man]

Pulling out 2009 would have been mind-boggling incredible -- and it was at the time. But the air was let out after the bogey on 18. He wasn't going to win it. Like the 2015 Open -- it was anticlimatic when Spieth missed the chip and the Slam was gone.

Jack in '86 still tops the sport for dramatics and history. Tiger in 2000 at Pebble is right there in the homestretch. Tiger in 2008 at Torrey not far behind. Looking forward to the Golf Channel's docu on the Duel in the Sun.

Arnie in 1960.

 

[playthrough]

His chip on 18 looked awful; I knew he had no chance on the putt back (talk about a jabbed putt under pressure).
2009 was a great year for woulda, shoulda, coulda in golf,, Kenny Perry at the Masters, then Watson at Turnberry.

Watson is/was a fairly prickly person, but damn it would have been great to see him win at 59.

You're right about Watson's persona, but -- in a nod to your avatar photo -- I had a great couple minutes with him once in San Francisco when a Champions Tour media rep gave me a tip about Watson's kid having once played catch with Willie Mays. Mays was at the course earlier that day but Watson was out playing and didn't see him, so after the round I told him Willie was here, and didn't your son have a great moment with him years ago? Watson just lit up. He kept grabbing my arm for emphasis about how he couldn't believe his son was having a catch with Willie Mays. I wondered if any reporter had ever asked him about it, that's how animated he was. Wish I still had the recording.

 

[da man]

I'm not a huge golf fan -- I follow it casually -- but my understanding has always been the perception of Tom Watson is he is one of the good guys of the sport, indeed a super-nice guy. I don't think I have ever heard him described as "prickly" or any variation of that.