Posted on 04/09/2010 2:24:18 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at golf.com ...
Couples and Watson should be really proud of their performance yesterday. How cool. I wonder if they can hang in there?
Kind of makes you wonder how good the golfers today really are. Watson at his age almost winning a major last year was one of the top ten sports stories. If he had won, I would consider it the top sports story.
Agree.
And the news stories should be about them, not you-know-who.
Living in KC I have enjoyed Joe’s writing and also watching Tom Watson. Watson is a class act.
Lets hope they keep it up. A lot of young guns are hot on the trail. I love the Masters. It starts the Summer off and makes me want to hit the course.
To the media Tiger is like Obama.
___
I think Couples can "hang in there", but Tom will most likely have his age come to haunt him. But, I love the guy.
Freddie has played extremely well on the Senior Tour, I think they mentioned that he has won three straight over there --- (Did you see those crazy "rubber slippers" he was playing in?) Freddie is quite the character If Fred's back behaves ....... he should do well.
But there are Tiger, Westwood, and others that all have a chance.
As my golfer friend always likes to say ... "It's only Thursday."
lol
Being sixty-three myself, I'm rootin' for the "old guys".
___
That was fantastic.
Yesterday was the best opening day at the Masters that I can remember. As always, it will be interesting to see what The Course does with this field of players over the next 3 days.
Right on.
Old Sandy Lyle had a good day too.
I think the young guys today strike the ball much better than Tom, but how he is playing these days reminds me of what Bobby Jones once said: "Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course...the space between your ears"
Me too. 61. Playing Black Diamond Monday after weekend of chillin and The Masters. Golf was more fun with the old days of Nicklaus Trevino and Palmer. I think the course will dry out quick and it is going to be an exciting Masters.
Woods had his best first round but may fade. His long irons are insane!
Who is that kid in the last group? Watch out for him.
___
Exactly.
Did you hear how those media sycophants described the way off line tee shots Tiger looped over high into the pines off the side of two fairways. Both terrible drives caromed off the trees and fortunately bounced out into position where Tiger had absolutely no problem getting to the green. The announcer referred to these very lucky bounces as, "SLIGHT BREAKS". Not "lucky breaks", or just "breaks". The media freaks always make everything he does on the course look and sound like the work of God. It's pretty sickening.
(jmo)
I love the Masters too, but I wish somehow they would have a slightly bigger field.
The other players like the money he brings to the tour. I can not stand the guy. Never could. But his shots are mind boggling.
I wish it would be covered all day Thur. to Sun.
You mean there’s someone else besides Tiger in this tournament?
_______
I hate to say it, But I don't see Woods fading. He had his best Masters first day in his career. And the par 5's, #'s 13 and 15, are pretty damn easy for him.
Plus, there is no rough, and his often errant tee shots are often forgiven by the course. The course favors him greatly.
It looks like Tiger to me.
But, I'd love to see Freddie or Tom pull one off.
(Did you see those rubber slippers of Freddie's? They said he was playing with no socks.)
;-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.