Tom Watson

What a weekend of golf, what a weekend for Tom Watson and what a weekend for Stewart Cink. How could any man turn to Tom Watson and find the words to honour a great golfer in missing out. Cink is a deserving champion and true golfer, and its always great to see a golfer win their first major.

Tom has been a professional for a long time and will know how to handle a loss, but this is no ordinary loss, this is The Open Championship, a title Tom has held 5 times in his career, so no doubt it holds a special place in his heart. For Tom it must have been like visiting an old friend after many years. Tom won his first Open at Turnberry in 1977, 32 years later he recounts, replays and masters the shots, the putts and the course, to finish a honourable second. Turnberry, Toms old friend, welcomed him back, entertained him for four great days, but faded as the party came to a close on Sunday evening.

The golfing world and beyond wanted a Watson win, the drama, emotion and the absolute splendour of such a victory would have been legend. Tom, interviewed on the BBC, would reflect on the tournament, but would prepare himself for the Seniors Open at Sunningdale this coming week, momentum is key to most sports, and Tom could have no better preparation than his challenge for the Claret Jug.

When Stewart Cink, held the Claret jug, and no doubt afterwards, when he was alone, he most probably looked at the long list of winners. There edged in history he will find Tom Watson’s name, not once but five times. Stewart will know, perhaps more than ever, how great a golfer Tom was and is. Cink knows now to win one Open is difficult to win 5 is extraordinary.

The 138th Open Championship will be the one Stewart Cink won, not the one Tom lost, and it should always be remembered for that. Stewart could have beaten anyone on Sunday, even Tiger, but by defeating Tom, Stewart has added, romance, affection, emotion and poignancy to his victory, beating anyone else would not give him that.

Stewarts win, now has a build up, a story, a twist and tale that will mean that this years Open will be remembered longer than others. As Tom said, "it would have been a great story" and it would have, but in many ways it still is, because it will add to Cinks great story, to his fairytale, and Tom will always be apart of that, again edged in history.