Tom Watson: The Man Who Beat Nicklaus at His Own Game
Tom Watson won eight major championships between 1975 and 1983 — five Open Championships, two Masters, and one US Open. He was the best player in the world from approximately 1977 to 1984, a stretch during which he beat Jack Nicklaus head-to-head in the most celebrated professional golf rivalry since Palmer and Nicklaus themselves. He also nearly won the Open Championship at age 59 in 2009, at the same course where he had produced his greatest performance 32 years earlier, before losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink.
The Five Opens
Watson won the Open Championship in 1975 (Carnoustie), 1977 (Turnberry), 1980 (Muirfield), 1982 (Royal Troon), and 1983 (Royal Birkdale). No American player has won five Open Championships since. His affinity for links golf — the ground game, the wind management, the ability to flight the ball low and run it to the target — was as natural as any American player's has been, and the British galleries responded to it immediately.
The Duel in the Sun: 1977 Open Championship
The 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry is the greatest head-to-head in major championship history. Watson and Nicklaus separated themselves from the field in the third round and played the fourth as a two-man match over the final 36 holes. Nicklaus shot 65-66. Watson shot 65-65. Watson won by one shot. Both finished eight shots clear of the third-place player.
Nicklaus's concession on the 18th green — "I gave you everything I had, but it wasn't enough" — remains the most gracious statement ever made by a loser in major championship golf. The moment it captures, two of the game's greatest players having played the best golf anyone had seen in a major, is the standard against which all other final-round duels are measured.
Pebble Beach 1982: The Chip-In
At the 1982 US Open at Pebble Beach, Watson and Nicklaus were tied entering the 17th hole. Watson's tee shot on the par 3 missed the green, coming to rest in deep rough beside the green. His caddie Bruce Edwards told him to chip it close. Watson told him he was going to hole it. He holed it. He birdied 18. He won by two shots. The chip-in at 17 is considered one of the greatest individual shots in US Open history.
The 2009 Near-Miss
At 59 years old, Tom Watson came to the 18th green at Turnberry with a one-shot lead in the Open Championship. He needed par to win his sixth Open Championship and become the oldest major champion in golf history by a decade. His approach shot ran through the green. He chipped to eight feet and missed the par putt. He lost the playoff to Stewart Cink.
Watson's response in the press conference — thanking the Turnberry gallery, acknowledging the miss without complaint, expressing gratitude for the week — produced more respect among his peers than the win would have. It was, as much as anything in his career, a demonstration of who he is.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many majors did Tom Watson win?
Tom Watson won eight major championships: five Open Championships (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983), two Masters (1977, 1981), and one US Open (1982).
What is the Duel in the Sun in golf?
The Duel in the Sun refers to the 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry, where Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus played the final two rounds as a head-to-head duel, producing scores of 65-65 (Watson) and 65-66 (Nicklaus). Watson won by one shot. It is the most celebrated head-to-head performance in major championship history.