Watson puts age rule on R&A agenda

Published on Monday 20 July 2009 22:44

THE Royal and Ancient, organisers of the Open, are to consider changing the rule which ends exemptions for past champions competing in the oldest major at the age of 60 after Tom Watson came within a whisker at Turnberry of writing the most extraordinary chapter in tournament history.

"We'll certainly be looking at it," acknowledged Peter Dawson, the chief executive of the R&A, who oversaw a reduction in the age limit applicable to past champions in 2007 from 65 to 60.

Since that alteration was made, the 54-year-old Greg Norman's challenge for the Claret Jug at Birkdale in 2008 (he finished third) and Watson's extraordinary runner-up performance over the Ailsa have sent out a clear message that the older generation of past champions, who keep themselves fit, remain a potent threat in the specialised test posed by links golf. Because the 59-year-old American's quest to match Harry Vardon's record haul of six Opens was thwarted in a four-hole play-off by fellow American Stewart Cink, the R&A's existing regulations mean Watson, who will shortly turn 60, is set to tee up for the last time on the Old Course next summer.

Dawson explained: "Tom Watson is actually the first past champion to come up against the 60 limit, which next year would make his last exemption in that category. Had he won the Open, there is already a condition in the entry form which would have given him a further ten-year exemption.

"But (to answer] the generality of the question, which is why limit it at 60 if players are able to compete at that sort of age? Well, I don't think we contemplated a 59-year-old leading the Open championship going into the back nine on the final day at the time. And every year after the Open we look at the exemptions, and no doubt we'll look at this one."

This was music to the ears of Watson. It's safe to assume anyone who has just placed one hand on the Claret Jug doesn't think their alloted time in the championship is nearly up. "I've laid the gauntlet down to you people to ask Peter Dawson to maybe change his mind about the 60-year-old exemption," Watson remarked. "I will play next year (at St Andrews], may the good Lord willing and the creek don't rise."

No one at the R&A would quibble with the phenomenal contribution made to the game played on the British linksland by Watson from his debut at Carnoustie in 1975 to the duel in the dusk at Turnberry on Sunday evening. If a way can be found to accommodate the man from Kansas, then the organisers of the Open should encourage Watson to bow out in 2015 rather than 2010.

"I think there are many ways to phrase an exemption," reasoned Dawson. "I mean, one could have an extension of the age limit for any past champion who had performed particularly well. I'm sure if someone at age 59 had been winning the championship, bringing down the age limit would have been lower on the agenda. But we brought down the age limit in order to give more spaces in the championship to younger players, allegedly in their prime, to compete."

The R&A's chief executive continued: "The spectators love to see the old players come back, don't they?

"It's great to see the names of the past competing. But I do think it's important that we see them in a state where they are reasonably competitive.

Tom Watson certainly seemed to be able to steer his golf ball around a links course better than many. I don't know if the statistics will back this up, but he appeared to me, watching on television, to be able to hit a lot more fairways or a lot fewer in the thick stuff than anybody else. And clearly that was key to his success."