Old-timer back at Old Course

Then all of a sudden here comes the car that kind of winds its way through that,and bingo,Graeme McDowell comes through as the winner. Thats the type of pressure people are under in a major championship and thats what causes those types of wrecks, added Watson.

The beautiful thing about playing golf over here is the weather so dictates the scores and I can assure you when the weather gets bad and the wind gets blowing those wrecks are going to happen with frequency.

Watson came close to achieving a golfing miracle when he led last years championship before eventually losing to compatriot Stewart Cink in a four-hole playoff. However,the five-times British Open winner said there was no lingering effect from his near-miss. Honestly,it really hasnt, said Watson. The loss is hard to take it tore my guts up but my guts have been torn up before in this game. There have been some wonderful memories over the years and this was a memory,I guess,in a positive sense,the way people responded to it. Thats what Ive taken from it.

Ive lucked out and won some tournaments I shouldnt have,in particular the 1982 Open at Troon. It was because of Nick Prices faltering on the last nine holes that I won. Watson said he continued to be entranced by the reaction he still gets from the fans. A lot of people come up to me and say,Im the same age as you Tom and Ive given up on the game,or on something else,and youve literally given me some hope and desire to keep at it. Ive also had a bunch of young kids come up to me. I hadnt had any young kids come to me for years,they were always coming up to me saying,My grandmother loves you, he said to howls of laughter.

But these kids came up and said,Hey,Mr Watson,that was great at the British Open. Thats been a wonderful sideline to what happened last year.

Watson also evoked memories of his spectacular battle with Ballesteros who has been unable to travel to St Andrews this week as he continues his fightback after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008. He is obviously struggling at this point and its sad to see that, said the American.

I remember the cheer that went up just before I tried to make my par putt at 17 in 1984,I looked at the 18th green and there Seve was, said Watson as he stood up and mimicked the Spaniards iconic fist pump.

I said,Uh oh,I have to make this putt but I didnt make it. Seve played with abandon,he just hit it hard and went after it,just like I did when I was young. Its sad to see where he is right now but what a wonderful record he had.

Mystique remains

The relentless march of technology has proved no match for the iconic Old Course at St Andrews,according to Arnold Palmer. I think this golf course will weather the storm for many years to come, the 80-year-old,his voice occasionally faltering,told a news conference on the eve of the 150th anniversary British Open. Torrential rain forced the cancellation of the Champions Challenge involving former winners such as Palmer but his enthusiasm for the game and its most famous course showed no signs of being dampened.

Sometimes you dont really need to make so many big changes to a golf course like this. The mystique of this golf course is the fact that you have to know where youre going,and you have to hit it in those spots.