Tom Watson insists he can still challenge for a sixth Claret Jug despite his Turnberry heartbreak.
Open legend already looking ahead to next year
Tom Watson insists he can still challenge for a sixth Claret Jug despite his Turnberry heartbreak.
The 59-year-old five-time Open champion missed an eight foot par putt at the last that would have made him the game's oldest major champion.
That set up a four-hole play-off with fellow American Stewart Cink and it was no surprise when an exhausted Watson slumped to a six-shot defeat.
The Open returns to St Andrews next year and Watson believes the Home of Golf - like Turnberry this year - will suit his game.
"I feel like I can play St Andrews," he said when asked to look ahead to what in all probability will be his 33rd and last appearance in the championship.
"I still have some of the shots to be able to play that golf course.
"But it depends on the wind. If the wind comes from the west I have a hard time - hole number four gets me. I can't hit it far enough to get it over the junk.
"And it depends on how deep the rough is. I'm driving into it all the time, so we'll just have to see."
Meanwhile, Royal and Ancient chief executive Peter Dawson revealed that it had already been decided to open up the right side of the fourth more so that the hole does not give big-hitters quite such a huge advantage.
Unless the Royal and Ancient Club reverses the rule change made just two years ago that past winners can go on playing only until they are 60 and not 65 - Dawson stated that they will review it - Watson knows he is facing the end of his Open road.
But while the hurt of bogeying the final hole and then falling to pieces in the play-off with fellow American Stewart Cink will go with him into this week's British Senior Open at Sunningdale, Watson has no trouble seeing the bigger picture.
"When all is said and done, one of the things I hope will come out of my life is that my peers will say 'You know, that Watson, he was a helluva player'.
Olympics
One added bonus of Watson's performance this year could be to give golf's bid for Olympic inclusion a timely boost.
"The position of the Olympics is that we will know next month if golf has got onto the short list of two that the IOC executive board is going to be recommending for voting on in October," said Dawson.
"We've been able to put golf's case with one voice across the game very strongly for both men and women and I think we have a good chance.
"But all the other sports, the seven sports competing for two spots, will have put good cases as well.
"I think as far as how would the IOC view an older person winning a golf championship, if that was your question, I could only think that with their policies in the IOC of inclusiveness and sport for all, I think that would have been welcomed.
"I don't see that as anything other than strengthening our case."
