Tom Watson says goodbye to the Open in darkness at St Andrews
Last Updated: 17/07/15 11:52pm
Tom Watson was almost overcome by emotion after bringing down the curtain on his Open career at St Andrews.
The five-time Open champion bade farewell to the event with which he is synonymous with a poignant walk up to the 18th green at St Andrews at close to 10pm on Friday.
The 65-year-old was close to tears as crowds gathered to applaud him from almost all available vantage points at the end of what had been a difficult, rain-affected second round day at the Open.
Almost all of the other groups still playing had been stopped, but Watson and playing partners Ernie Els and Brandt Snedeker were allowed to finish, with supporters and officials packing around the 18th green to cheer them on.
Watson was signing off because he was unable to make the cut and his subsequent bogey at the last left him signing for a 12-over-par score.
But that is not how the American, who won the first of his Opens on debut in 1975, will be remembered and the memories came flooding back as he spoke to media afterwards.
Tears were welling in his eyes as he spoke and he occasionally had to pause to compose himself, while admitting he was "babbling on".
But Watson reflected with happiness on his Open experiences, saying: "There's just so much joy in walking up that hole. I don't know how to put it into any other words. It's all joy.
"There's no reason to be sad. I played a game for a living, and I played it pretty well over time."
Speaking of the decision to play on in near darkness, Watson said: "On the tee Brandt and Ernie and I, we had a discussion, I said, 'Gentlemen, you're both in the tournament right here. Whatever you want to do, you do. I'm not in the tournament'.
"Ernie looked at Brandt, said, 'You want to finish?' He said, 'Yeah, I'd like to get it over with'. Ernie says, 'I do too', and that's all that was necessary to be spoken.
"There was not a single tear. My son almost cried, I know that. He almost cried on the 18th tee when I said no tears.
"I didn't know how I was going to feel walking across the bridge, but I do know that I looked up in the sky, and I said, 'I know there are a lot of other people watching me from not just right here - a lot of loved ones. It was a special time."
