Duel in the sun.....

[Michael_ Gee]

Watson is, like any athlete in any sport at his level of accomplishment, an extraordinarily driven and hard-bitten competitor. That's sometimes hard to switch off when the competition is over, which incidentally is when most sports journalists meet said athletes more often than any other time.

 

[qtlaw]

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.

That's an awesome story; thanks for sharing. I have heard that Willie as well was less than accommodating at times.

 

[lcjjdnh]

I will always respect Watson for quitting the exclusionary (and racist and anti-semitic) Kansas City Country Club, which had blackballed Henry Bloch for being Jewish. I seem to recall reading somewhere that he and his father (a long-time member) didn't talk to each other for a few years after that.

 

[da man]

I will always respect Watson for quitting the exclusionary (and racist and anti-semitic) Kansas City Country Club, which had blackballed Henry Bloch for being Jewish. I seem to recall reading somewhere that he and his father (a long-time member) didn't talk to each other for a few years after that.

That's actually when I became a huge Watson fan. I had always liked him before, but that sealed it.

 

[Riptide]

Borges: Tom Watson finds new passion as golf passes him by