Tom Watson

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Watson's rivalry with Jack Nicklaus was intense but friendly, and several of his major victories came at Nicklaus's expense, most notably the 1977 Masters, 1977 Open Championship, and the 1982 U.S. Open. At the 1977 Masters, Watson holed a 20-foot putt for birdie on the 17th green to go one stroke ahead of Nicklaus, then won by two strokes after Nicklaus bogeyed the 18th. The 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry is considered by many to be the finest tournament of the second half of the 20th century; Watson and Nicklaus were paired for the final two rounds, both shooting 65 in the third round, then Watson finished with a second straight 65 to Nicklaus's 66, winning with a record score of 268. At the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Watson hit a miraculous chip shot on the par-3 17th that hit the flag stick and fell into the cup for a birdie, then birdied the 18th to win by two shots over Nicklaus. Watson's longevity was remarkable: at nearly sixty years of age, and 26 years after his last major championship victory, he led after the second and third rounds of The Open Championship in 2009, but lost in a four-hole playoff to Stewart Cink after missing an 8-foot putt on the 72nd hole.

In Their Own Story

Watson joined the PGA Tour in 1971. He hired Bruce Edwards to be his caddie for the first time at the 1973 St. Louis tournament held at Norwood Hills Country Club, and the two connected, with Edwards caddying for Watson at most events after that for many years. After contending in his first major at the 1974 U.S. Open at Winged Foot but fading badly in the final round after having the 54-hole lead, Watson was approached in the locker room by Byron Nelson, who offered encouragement and assistance. Only two weeks after that collapse, Watson won his first Tour title at the Western Open near Chicago, coming from six shots back in the final round at Butler National. With Nelson's guidance, Watson won his first major championship, the 1975 Open Championship, on his first appearance in Britain, holing a 20-foot putt for birdie on the 72nd hole to tie Jack Newton, then winning an 18-hole playoff at Carnoustie by a stroke, carding a 71 to Newton's 72 after chipping in for an eagle at the 14th hole.

Reader's Guide

Watson's eight major wins include five Open Championships, two Masters titles, and one U.S. Open title. His eight majors ranks sixth on the list of total major championship victories, behind only Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Walter Hagen, Ben Hogan, and Gary Player. Watson is regarded as one of the greatest links players of all time, a claim backed up by his five Open Championship victories, his runner-up finishes at the 1984 Open Championship and 2009 Open Championship, and his three Senior British Open Championship titles in his mid-50s (2003, 2005, and 2007). Watson played on four Ryder Cup teams and captained the American side to victory in 1993 at The Belfry in England. More than twenty years later, Watson again captained the U.S. Team in 2014 in Scotland, this time in a loss. Watson was born in Kansas City, Missouri, introduced to the game by his father Ray, and coached by Stan Thirsk at the Kansas City Country Club. He attended Stanford University, graduating with a degree in psychology in 1971, and won four Missouri State Amateur championships: in 1967, 1968, 1970, and 1971.

Did You Know?

• Watson is one of only four players since World War II to have won the Open Championship on their debut, the others being Ben Hogan (1953), Tony Lema (1964) and Ben Curtis (2003).
• Watson became only the third golfer since World War II to win the U.S. Open and Open Championship in the same year after Ben Hogan (1953) and Lee Trevino (1971) — a feat later matched by Tiger Woods (2000).
• Watson needed a par on the 18th hole of the 1978 Masters to tie Gary Player, but sent his approach shot into the gallery and missed the 10-foot par putt, finishing tied for 2nd place one stroke behind Player.
• Watson had a five-shot lead after 54 holes of the 1978 PGA Championship at Oakmont, but lost in a 3-way sudden-death playoff to John Mahaffey — the closest he came to winning the one major that eluded him.
• Watson's 1979 Masters loss to Fuzzy Zoeller was the first sudden-death playoff at the Masters.