Reflections on Tom Watson's Weekend at Turnberry

I didn't watch Tom Watson on Sunday.  Not that I wasn't pulling for him - I was.  I just didn't think I could handle the emotion of it - if he failed.

As Rick Riley of Sports Illustrated said, Watson's run for the Clarett Jug this weekend would be a win for the ages and made all of us 50-somethings feel younger. 

Heck, if he could win the British Open at 59, then surely I could do something equally spectacular, like maybe getting through an entire night without having to go to the bathroom.

But when it came down to it, I just couldn't watch.  I guess I've become too much a part of the Twitter generation.. You  know.."give me the story in 140 characters or less."

So instead of hours of live coverage, I watched the replays, especially his putt on 18.

He described it as "just bad," and he wasn't wrong. 

But still, he sure did play great for 71 holes, didn't he?

After his bogey on 18, it was a foregone conclusion that he would fade in the 4-hole play-off.  He did.

Watson's greatness - even in defeat though - shined through this week. And despite coming up a foot short on that 9-foot putt, he's still a champion, even at 59. 

So who knows, maybe tonight I'll sleep through the night without an interruption.  Now, that would be a night's sleep for the ages.