A transformed Watson carries Turnberry magic to opening round at Augusta

golf.com ^ | 4/9/10 | Joe Posnanski

[ICAB9USA]

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tom Watson finally seems at peace. Over the years, I have probably written more than 100,000 words about Watson — the good fortune of being a sportswriter in Kansas City for a long time. I have chased him from golf course to golf course. I have seen him overjoyed and grumpy and most places in between. Anyway, I never thought of him being at peace before. No, there was always a certain restlessness about Watson. I always thought it had something to do with the strange arc of his brilliant career. Watson was a late bloomer — he was not an especially good golfer at Stanford. He jumped on the PGA Tour, and he tore up his swing again and again as a young man. He never felt like he could hit the ball straight enough to compete with the best.

Then he found a swing that worked well enough, and for an eight-year stretch, 1977-1984, he was about as good as anybody, ever. He won seven major championships and 33 tournaments and six PGA Tour player of the Year awards, and three times he beat Jack Nicklaus, head-to-head, in one of the biggest tournaments in the world. It wasn't the swing that won tournaments for him, incidentally. It was his creativity around the greens, and his intense competitive nature, and one other thing: Watson was the boldest putter on earth. He slammed putt after putt at the hole because he knew, deeply knew, that if he missed he would make the putt coming back.

Then, just as quickly as it started, his dominance ended at age 35.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

To the media Tiger is like Obama.

Agree.....I was listening to AP (Always Propaganda) and they opened their broadcast with the sound of a golf club hitting a ball off the tee. The soundbite next was; "THE TEE SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD! As TIGER WOODS returns to his Professional Golf Career! Next, it was all about his epic struggle with Sex Addiction. (Not his fault) I about ripped the knob off the radio to change channels. The media Psychophants are sickening.

[newfreep]

Freddie has always been one of my fav golfers - Arnie will ALWAYS be #1. But Couples had the best swing of any golfer - easy & fluid and "Boomed" his drives.

He looked typical Couples casual cool in his tennis shoes & no socks. I'd love to see him or Phil win - anybody but the guy into "Booty-ism".

[ICAB9USA]

Goosen?

1:53 start?

[ICAB9USA]

Me too. But .... it not being covered on tv 'til later, it made me stay outside and working longer.

:-)

[PA-RIVER]

Look at Watson, he is in good shape, same as Couples. Neither carry too many extra pounds and they both must work out. If they didn’t, at their age, they would look very different.

Golf , when in a rythem, is like riding a bike. The difference is these two guys are in pain at the and of the day. Their joints ache and they must be takeing advil or tylenol to keep going. Four days will be a tough ride on big hill for Watson. Couples might do it.

[newfreep]

Forgot to add Kudos to Watson - wouldn’t that be something if he won after coming so close at the British Open last year!

[ICAB9USA]

..... ping

[ICAB9USA]

re: But Couples had the best swing of any golfer - easy & fluid and "Boomed" his drives.

He's smooth alright. But "The Big Easy", Ernie Els, is pretty darn smooth himself.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Watson is a true champion.

[screaminsunshine]

I know. I was thinking since he had his best first round he may not have his best second. Couples is my favorite and Watson. The short fives favor woods and his long irons.

[screaminsunshine]

The media is awful. On Masters weekend it is time to ignore the bozos and concentrate on Golf. Even the Media can not spoil The Masters.

[Doc Savage]

My salient observations:

1. Tiger still knows how to slam that driver into the ground in disgust indicating to me he's right on his game.

2. Tiger still knows how to slam that 8 iron in the ground in disgust clearly demonstrating to me he's in top form.

3. Soren Kjeldsen was born with an extra consonant for some reason.

4. Phil obviously stole those horrible striped pants from an groomsman at a local wedding.

5. Ian Poulter suddenly became color blind.

6. Matt Kuchar would have been one of Norman Rockwell's best subjects.

7. Freddy proves Cialis does more than improve your love life.

[ICAB9USA]

"Watson's career was so odd, and his posture so Midwestern modest, that he has been easy to overlook. It is like he's golf's Stan Musial, another star of the heartland. Their greatness tends to get lost in the back of people's minds. When you bring them up, people will often say: "Oh yeah!""

True

[screaminsunshine]

Lets see if he can keep it up today. I sure wish the first holes were on tv. They are going to set the course up a lot harder today.

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Just plant a few slutty big breasted babes in tight shorts around the greens and Woods will come apart like a 2 dollar suitcase.

[ICAB9USA]

LOL

Too bad Jesper Parnevik wasn't there (I don't think). There may have been something to say about that funny guy.

[screaminsunshine]

He would lose his composure wondering what the Par is on those holes.

[ICAB9USA]

re: I was thinking since he had his best first round he may not have his best second. Couples is my favorite and Watson. The short fives favor woods and his long irons.

_____

You're right on.

I'm just hoping God makes Tiger wait a lot longer to come back and win a big one. Save this excellent 2010 Masters for someone else. (jmo)

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

On the “Green” in 2 strokes, but his “putter” just can’t find the range...........

[Timeout]

When it was time for Tiger to tee off on #1, I thought:
“Wouldn’t it be perfect if the gallery simply stayed silent. No applause. No cheers. No nothing....just like Tiger for all those weeks he refused to talk.”

Poetic Justice. But, it wasn’t to be.