Tom Watson says Carnoustie the toughest test of all

By the sounds of things, he believes there's no chance of such pleasantries at Carnoustie. In fact, it's more likely its hands are already on a player's neck at the start and, by the finish, are strangling them.

Although Watson enjoyed being at St Andrews last week for the 150th Anniversary Open Championship - his only disappointment was failing to make the cut - the 60-year-old is even happier to be at Carnoustie for the Senior Open Championship starting today. The Angus course was where Watson recorded the first of his Open wins in 1975 and, while admitting he sometimes has problems remembering what happened the previous day, the memories from that triumph are still crystal clear.

Asked where, in terms of fondness, he rated Carnoustie, which, at 7,297 yards this week is more than 600 yards longer than Sunningdale Old for the same event last year, among all the courses on the Open rota, he said: "It rates maybe the highest in difficulty. I've always enjoyed a testing golf course where there's a lot of driving the ball between bunkers.

"There's so much variety in this golf course as far as where they can put the flags on certain greens. These are also the narrowest fairways in Open golf, without question. You have to really drive the ball well here. The other thing about Carnoustie is that it forces you to play through the bunkers; you can't lay up short of the bunkers because your shots are too long into the greens.

"There are certain holes you do lay up. You'll see people laying up at several holes on the front nine. But there are a number of tee balls where you have to play through the bunkers. You have to play by them and it's narrow. That's what makes Carnoustie so difficult. This morning I played with an amateur who said eight of his first nine tee shots in the pro-am ended up in bunkers."

Even Watson, who has never been outside the top 25 in eight previous Senior Open appearances and has won it three times, most recently at Turnberry in 2007, admits he's surprised the course has been set up to a length this week that is just over 100 yards shorter than the Open Championship here in 2007. "Maybe I'm just complaining a little bit, but I think it's a little bit long for the old folks," he noted.

Before turning his attention to this week's event, Watson was happy to reflect on a "special week" at St Andrews, where he played his last Open Championship on the Old Course and, in doing so, followed a tradition set by Arnold Palmer and followed by Jack Nicklaus in stopping on the Swilcan Bridge on the way up the 18th to wave goodbye and let an army of photographers capture the occasion.

"I would have liked to have made the cut. I never like missing the cut. It's always a disappointment when you are putting your game to the test and you don't make the last 36 holes. It still eats at me and I still feel that way," he said. "But, beyond that, it was a special week in several different ways.

"First of all, my friends and family all came over, thinking it was going to be my last Open Championship. They made bookings the previous year before I got the exemption to continue in the Open [until 2014]. We had 20-30 people there, so it was a hectic week.

"To add to that, I was given the Doctorate of Law by the University of St Andrews with my idol, Arnold Palmer. That was a special honour. I said that in my words afterwards. I said: ‘You know, one of the reasons I probably beat Jack [Nicklaus] so many times is that he beat you.'

"Then, on Friday, it was a pretty magical moment there at the end of the evening having the chance to say goodbye to the Old Course in an Open Championship. It was getting dark and, in addition to the clubhouse being lit up, the sky behind was almost a turquoise blue with orange clouds in it - it was beautiful."

Admitting he'd been impressed by the way Louis Oosthuizen not only played but also appeared so calm in recording his surprise success at St Andrews, Watson spoke passionately when asked if he felt the 18th hole on the Old Course had become too easy due to the fact players can hit the ball so much further these days.

"I think it's the charm of the golf course," he said. "St Andrews, the Old Course, starts you off with a handshake on No 1 - yes, you have to carry the burn - and it finishes with a handshake. But that's just after playing 17. You need to average out a couple of holes there and, as 17 is so hard, 18 is as easy."

On Oosthuizen, he added: "I only saw his swing for the first time on Saturday and I said: ‘That's really good.' The more I watched it I realised he's little bit like Ernie Els in the finish of his hands in the follow through and he's learned from a great player.

"The other thing is that I didn't see any fear. You can see fear in guys in their play. Sometimes you can mask it, but I like what Retief Goosen said. He said that Oosthuizen is a fine swinger of a golf club, but, more importantly, he's got a man's head on his shoulders. I don't know him, but it looks like he's very well grounded."

Watson himself is still is competitive as he was 35 years ago. "I play for the competition. I like to compete and beat people," he replied when asked about his chances at Carnoustie. "I hope that I can do it again this week."