Tom Watson: An Education in Victory

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Tom Watson won five Open Championships in his illustrious career, but his success in The Open was not overnight gratification. Instead, however, Watson’s five triumphs were the product of a long journey in the discovery of links golf, and an education in winning.

As Tom Watson rolled in his final putt during The Open Championship in 1977, the man from Missouri was achieving not only the second of his eventual five Claret Jugs.

Rather, with a one-shot victory over “the villain” Jack Nicklaus, Watson was vindicating an important struggle in his career, and beginning anew a symbolic relationship with The Open Championship, a relationship that few other golfers have ever shared.

Growing up in Kansas City in the 1950s and 60s, Watson was always a competitive child. Playing with his brothers in various activities, Watson said his competitiveness was shaped by trying to beat his siblings, particularly his eldest brother Rich.

“Rich was three years older, and stronger, faster, bigger. Everything was kind of predicated on competing against my older brother, and competing against his friends and my contemporaries as well. My (competitive nature) all came from that.”

Watson played baseball, but after being cut from his local team, he decided to take up the game of golf at nine-years-of-age.

“So I didn’t play baseball that summer, I played golf,” Watson said. “We’d play on Mondays at various courses which were closed and I had the opportunity to play in competition as a nine-year-old and I really liked that. That’s what started me out in the game.”

Watson, who has loved nature since his youngest days and who thrives in competition, found golf to be a perfect game for his disposition, despite his home state’s cold weather months.

“Playing golf in Kansas City has always been somewhat of a challenge,” Watson said, “but we get enough temperate days in the winter so that I could play golf with some of my crazy friends here. We’d go out and play when it’s in the 20s (Fahrenheit), the greens are frozen.

“I’ve always loved the outdoors. I like to hunt quail and ducks and yeah, I always knew how to dress for that so dressing for playing golf was no big deal. You just go out, get your hands warm and your head warm and you played.”

With a passion for the game, Watson quickly progressed to playing men’s competition having only just become a teenager.

“I played in junior tournaments until I was about 13,” Watson said, “and my Dad said ‘why don’t you try to qualify for the men’s medal play’?

“’OK,’ I said, and I went and played in it and I shot 81. I remember crying up the 18th fairway and a man by the name of Hogan put his arm around my shoulder and said “you’re a good player, Tom, don’t worry about it. There will be better days.’

“I remember that, coming up the last hole crying, because I’d played so badly. Then at 14, I played in the Kansas City men’s match play and I won it.

“And it gave me dreams. That one tournament after winning that, at age 14, gave me dreams.”