Tom Watson set for final farewell on British soil at Lytham

Five-time Open champion Tom Watson will play his final competitive round of golf on British soil tomorrow.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Jul 2019, 14:56 BST

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Tom Watson announced his retirement from the Senior Open after his third round at Royal Lythan and will say his farewells to the British golfing public in Sunday's last circuit. Picture: PATom Watson announced his retirement from the Senior Open after his third round at Royal Lythan and will say his farewells to the British golfing public in Sunday's last circuit. Picture: PA
Tom Watson announced his retirement from the Senior Open after his third round at Royal Lythan and will say his farewells to the British golfing public in Sunday's last circuit. Picture: PA

The 69-year-old will bid his farewell in the last round of the Senior Open Championship at Royal Lytham.

Watson announced his decision to call it a day in the over-50s Claret Jug event after carding a two-over-par 72 in his third round today at the Lancashire venue.

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He also said that he will no longer be playing in the US Senior Open, having teed up in that for the final time in Indiana last month.

Three-time winner Tom Watson takes his medicine from a fairway bunker at the last in the third round of the over-50s major at Royal Lytham. Picture: Getty ImagesThree-time winner Tom Watson takes his medicine from a fairway bunker at the last in the third round of the over-50s major at Royal Lytham. Picture: Getty Images
Three-time winner Tom Watson takes his medicine from a fairway bunker at the last in the third round of the over-50s major at Royal Lytham. Picture: Getty Images

“It a sensible assessment of the current state of my game,” said Watson in a press conference. “I don’t have the tools in my toolbox to compete successfully any more.”

Watson won the Claret Jug for the first time at Carnoustie in 1975, beating Australian Jack Newton in a play-off.

He repeated the success two years later afrer beating Jack Nicklaus in the infamous ‘Duel in the Sun’ ay Turnberry.

Victory number three in the game’s oldest major came at Muirfield in 1980 before he triumphed again at Royal Troon two years later.

His final win came at Royal Birkdale in 1983, though he came tantalisingly close to claiming a sensational sixth title at the age of 59 at Turnberry in 2009.

Bidding to become the oldest winner in the event, he bogeyed the last on the Ailsa Course before losing a play-off to Stewart Cink.

After turning 50, the man from Kansas enjoyed more success on Scottish soil in the Senior Open, winning that at Turnberry (2006), Royal Aberdeen (2005) and Muirfield (2007).

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On the back of all those tartan triumphs, he was appointed as US captain for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles but, after tasting victory in that role at The Belfry in 1993, he was on the end of a heavy defeat on this occasion.

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Related topics:Tom WatsonLancashire