Tom Watson is a 60 year old stud

By: Jeff Palopoli on 02/08/10 03:47 PM

| More

Last July at the 2009 British Open, Tom Watson reminded us that age is just a number. He came within just one misjudged club selection of raising the Claret Jug. Watson was thinking about hitting a 9-iron from the middle of the fairway, but then settled on an 8-iron. The ball soared right at the flag, then bounced hard and fast over the back of the green. His putt back up the slope ran 8 feet past the hole. We all know if that ball stopped a foot or two short he’d be heading to St. Andrews this year as the reigning British Open Champion. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. But that hasn’t stopped Watson from playing great golf well in to his “senior years”.

This past week Watson played in the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, his first visit to Dubai. Not only did he tee up with young guns by the likes of Rory McIlvoy and Martin Kaymer, the old guy held his own shooting a final round 68 and tied for 8th place. This is all great stuff, but the main reason I’m giving him the “stud” moniker is for earlier in the week calling out Tiger Woods. Before Woods’ fall from grace it seemed every golfer was afraid to say anything negative about him. Some are now having a field day with it. But coming from Watson it seems to be more advice for Woods than criticism. He said Tiger needs to “clean up his act” both on and off the course. Calling attention to Woods’ recent antics on the course that include club throwing and swearing. I loved it when Watson said, “I feel that he has not carried the same stature that other great players that have come along like Jack [Nicklaus], Arnold [Palmer], Byron Nelson, the Hogans, in the sense that there was language and club throwing on the golf course,”. He then went on to say, “But I think he needs to clean up his act and show the respect for the game that other people before him have shown.”

Watson also made mention that he feels Tiger needs to address the public and show some humility. Watson is not alone there, as earlier in January Geoff Ogilvy made a similar statement. Whether Tiger will do so is up in the air, as the silence from him these past few months has been deafening. But when someone like Tom Watson gives you advice, you listen.

| More