Tom Watson at 150th Anniversary Open in St. Andrews


The following post has just been published on the official Open web site, The Open Championship, confirming Tom Watson's entry to the tounament:

16 February 2010 16:17 GMT

Last year’s Open Championship runner-up, Tom Watson, has confirmed that he will take his place on the Old Course at the 150th Anniversary Open Championship.

Despite being a five-time Open Champion and lifting the Claret Jug in Scotland on four of those occasions, the American, from Kansas City, Missouri, has never triumphed at the Home of Golf — his best result in St Andrews was a second place in 1984. After last year’s heroics, however, many will feel that he has every chance of accomplishing the feat this year.

It is also hoped that Watson will compete in The Open Champions’ Challenge, a four-hole event which will be contested over the first, second, 17th and 18th holes of the Old Course on the Wednesday evening before the Championship gets underway.

Watson came close to equalling Harry Vardon’s record of six Open Championships at Turnberry in 2009, eventually missing out in a play-off to worthy winner Stewart Cink. Not only that, at the age of 59, he would have become the oldest winner of golf’s oldest Major, rewriting the record which goes back to Old Tom Morris who won the title in 1867 at the age of 46.

Speaking after his play-off defeat, Watson said: “It tears at your gut and it’s not easy to take. But it wasn’t to be.

“I put myself in a position to win and didn’t do it on the last hole. But this ain’t a funeral. I congratulate Stewart and he did what he had to do to win.”

In submitting his entry for the 150th Anniversary Open Championship, Watson joins other former winners like John Daly, Ben Curtis, David Duval and Ernie Els, all of whom have already entered. Rory McIlroy, Vijay Singh, Camilo Villegas and Lee Westwood have also confirmed that they will make a bid for the Claret Jug this year.


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