Tom Watson biography from wiki

Here is for Tom Watson fans, if you like him, you should read this Tom Watson biography

(wikipedia) - Thomas Sturges "Tom" Watson (born September 4, 1949) is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly Champions Tour.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Watson was one of the leading players in the world, winning eight major championships and heading the PGA Tour money list five times. He was the number one player in the world according to McCormack's World Golf Rankings from 1978 through 1982; in both 1983 and 1984 he was ranked second behind Seve Ballesteros. He also spent 32 weeks in the top 10 of the successor Sony Rankings in their debut in 1986.


Watson is now also notable for defying age; at nearly 60 years and 26 years after his last major victory, he led much of the 2009 Open Championship but eventually lost in a four-hole playoff. With a chance to win the tournament with par on the 72nd hole, he three-putted; he lost the playoff to Stewart Cink.

Of Watson's eight major championships five were Open Championships, two Masters titles and one U.S. Open title. The only "major" that eluded him is the PGA Championship, which would have put him in an elite group of golfing "grand slam" winners that includes Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen, and Tiger Woods. In all, Watson ranks 6th on the list of total major championship victories, and he is one of only fourteen players to have won at least three of the four golfing major titles.

Several of Watson's major victories came at the expense of Jack Nicklaus, the man he replaced as number one, most notably the 1977 Open Championship and the 1982 U.S. Open. Though his rivalry with Nicklaus was intense, their friendly competitiveness served to increase golf's popularity during the time.

Watson is generally regarded as one of the greatest links players of all time, a claim backed up by his five Open Championship victories; and his competitiveness in the 2009 Open Championship, as well as his three Senior Open Championship titles in his mid-50s (2003, 2005, and 2007).