Tom Watson vs Jack Nicklaus: The Rivalry That Defined an Era
The 1970s in professional golf can be reduced to a single storyline: Jack Nicklaus, the greatest player in the game's history, meeting his match in a younger Kansan who played with equal precision and greater relentlessness. Tom Watson won 8 major championships between 1975 and 1983. Five of them came in direct competition with Nicklaus. The defining contest was at Turnberry in 1977 — 36 holes known forever as the Duel in the Sun.
How the Rivalry Started
Watson turned professional in 1971 after graduating Stanford with a psychology degree. His early career was marked by a reputation for closing poorly — twice he had 54-hole leads in US Opens and failed to convert. The perception was that he had the talent but lacked the nerve.
Byron Nelson took him on informally as a mentor in the early 1970s, and Watson worked on the mental side of his game with the same rigor he applied to technique. The 1975 British Open at Carnoustie — Watson's first major — ended the closing reputation entirely. He birdied the final two holes to win. He was 25 years old.
The Duel in the Sun
The 1977 Open Championship at Turnberry's Ailsa Course is the rivalry's centerpiece. Watson and Nicklaus separated from the field after 36 holes and played the final two rounds in a private contest. Watson shot 65-65; Nicklaus shot 65-66. Watson won by one shot with a score of 268 — obliterating the Open Championship record at the time. The next player in the field finished ten shots behind them.
It was not just the scores. It was the quality of the golf under pressure, round after round, shot after shot, with neither man giving ground. When Watson made his birdie on the 72nd hole to go one ahead, Nicklaus still had a putt for eagle. He made birdie and shook Watson's hand. Two men who had each played the round of their lives, and only one could win.
The 1977 Masters: Same Script, Different Setting
Two months before Turnberry, Watson and Nicklaus staged a similar duel at Augusta National. Watson's final-round 67 to Nicklaus's 66 was essentially the same match — the same quality, the same closeness, the same result. Watson won by two shots. The Turnberry duel was the sequel to Augusta, not the original.
Watson's British Open Dominance
Watson won five British Opens between 1975 and 1983 — at Carnoustie, Turnberry, Muirfield, Royal Troon, and Royal Birkdale. No American has won more Open Championships since the Second World War. He played links golf with a naturalism that most American players couldn't replicate, adapting his ball flight and course management instinctively to conditions that challenged players who had learned the game on flat, manicured American courses.
The Pebble Beach Moment: 1982 US Open
The rivalry's most famous single shot came at the 1982 US Open at Pebble Beach. Watson and Nicklaus were tied with two holes to play. On the par-3 17th, Watson's tee shot went into thick rough behind the pin. Nicklaus, who had already finished, was watching from the clubhouse.
Watson chipped in from an almost impossible lie — the ball going directly into the hole — for birdie. He pointed at his caddie Bruce Edwards and said, famously, "I told you I was going to make it." Watson birdied 18 as well and won by two shots. Nicklaus finished second again.
The Near-Miss at 59: 2009 British Open
The rivalry's coda came at Turnberry in 2009 — the same course as the Duel in the Sun, 32 years later. Watson, 59 years old, led the tournament through 72 holes. On the 72nd hole, needing par to become the oldest major champion in history, he made bogey. Stewart Cink won in the playoff.
Nicklaus, watching, said it was the most heartbreaking near-miss he had ever seen in golf.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Duel in the Sun?
Tom Watson won the 1977 Open Championship Duel in the Sun at Turnberry, shooting 268 (65-65-65-65) to Jack Nicklaus's 269 (68-70-65-66).
How many times did Tom Watson beat Jack Nicklaus in majors?
Watson and Nicklaus were in direct head-to-head contention in the final rounds of multiple major championships during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Watson's wins where Nicklaus finished second or contending include the 1977 Masters, 1977 British Open, 1981 Masters, and 1982 US Open.
How many majors did Tom Watson win?
Tom Watson won 8 major championships: 5 British Opens (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983), 2 Masters (1977, 1981), and 1 US Open (1982).