BOISE, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…July 19, 2009, 15 years ago today:
Stewart Cink wins one of the most storied British Open (Open Championship) titles in history. Cink, runner-up at the Albertson’s Boise Open in 1996, pulled even with 59-year-old Tom Watson on the 72nd and final hole after Watson had put together a stunning four rounds of golf—bring flashbacks of Pebble Beach, 1982 (and Turnberry, 1977). Cink then broke the heart of Watson (and fans around the world) with a six-shot victory in the ensuing four-hole playoff.
Watson’s appearance at Turnberry in Scotland was seen as largely ceremonial, as he was in as a five-time champion in the tournament. He was a 1500-to-1 longshot to lift the Claret Jug. Watson’s bogey-free 65 in the first round was still seen as a fluke. In the second round, he pulled into a tie for the lead by making long putts on the 16th and 18th holes. Then, playing through the Scottish rain and wind, Watson carded a 71 in the third round to earn a solo spot atop the leaderboard.
On Sunday, Watson believed, and the roaring crowd did, too. He rallied from two early bogeys to stay in contention—then got his rhythm going again on the back nine. But Cink had made his move, and on the 18th, Watson left what would have been a title-clinching 10-foot putt just short. The bogey forced the four-hole playoff, and Watson had run out of gas. "The old fogey almost did it," Watson said afterwards. "It would have been a hell of a story, wouldn't it? It wasn't to be and yes it was a great disappointment. It tears your gut, as it always has torn at my gut. It's not easy to take."
Watson produced one of golf’s most famous shots in the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Jack Nicklaus was going for a record fifth U.S. Open title at the fabled course and Watson was playing a few holes behind him. Watson teed off at No. 17 tied with the Golden Bear (Nicklaus was in the clubhouse). But Watson found himself in thick rough with a downhill lie, 16 feet from the hole. An archived story at Yahoo! Sports recalled that “caddy Bruce Edwards just tried to talk Watson into keeping the ball close. Watson offered up one of the all-time great replies: ‘Close, hell. I'm going to sink it.’" And what followed was the best chip shot in tour history.
And on the same Turnberry course in 1977—the first time the British Open had been played there—Watson had also outdueled Nicklaus to capture the second of his five titles in the event. They were tied going into the 17th that time, too. But Nicklaus two-putted from four feet to go down a stroke, and that was the way it ended. It was added heartbreak for the Bear, who has also been runner-up to Watson three months earlier at the Masters.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
