Watson now chasing golf’s Grand Slam

Press, 19 July 1983, Page 38

Watson now chasing golf’s Grand Slam

NZPA Southport Tom Watson, who retained his British Open golf championship title at Royal Birkdale yesterday, after one of the greatest dogfights in its 112-year history, will not have long to savour the sweet taste of his fifth Open victory.

In just two weeks time he tees up again in the only major tournament he has still to win — the United States P.G.A. — held this year at the Riviera, Los Angeles.

His four iron approach shot left him four metres from the pin and he holed it for a birdie three. That brought him back to seven under and from there the result seemed inevitable. And just to prove he was fated to win his fifth title, a stray drive off the thirteenth tee landed in an area trampled down by the record galleries. The good lie enabled him to play on to the green and birdie the hole. As Watson’s fortunes soared, so did Craig Stadler, the leader for the first two holes and 99 per cent of the third, flag. Scores: 275 — Tom Watson (U.S.) 67, 68, 70, 70. 276 — Hale Irwin (U.S.) 69, 68, 72, 67; Andy Bean (U.S.) 70, 69, 70, 67. 277 — Graham Marsh (Australia) 69, 70, 74, 64. 278 — Lee Trevino (U.S.) 69, 66, 73, 70. 279 — Severiano Ballesteros (Spain) 71, 71, 69, 68; Harold Henning (South Africa) 71, 69, 70, 69. 280 — Christy O’Connor Jnr (Ireland) 72, 69, 71, 68; Bill

Rogers (U.S.) 67, 71, 73, 69; Nick Faldo (Britain) 68, 68, 71, 73; Denis Durnian (Britain) 73, 66, 74, 67. 281 — Craig Stadler (U.S.) 64, 70, 72, 75; Peter Jacobsen (U.S.) 72, 69, 70, 70. 282 — Fuzzy Zoeller (U.S.) 71, 71, 67, 73; Ray Flood (U.S.) 72, 66, 69, 75; David Graham (Australia) 71, 69, 67, 75; Gary Koch (U.S.) 75, 71, 66, 70; Mike Sullivan (U.S.) 72, 68, 74, 68. 283 — Tienie Britz (South Africa) 71, 74, 69, 69; Brian Waites (Britain) 70, 70, 73, 70; Bernard Gallacher (Britain) 72, 71, 70, 70; Simon Hobday (South Africa) 70, 73, 70, 70; Greg Norman (Australia) 75, 71, 70, 67; Hubert Green (U.S.) 69, 74, 72, 68; Jay Haas (U.S.) 73, 72, 68, 70. 284 — Eamonn Darcy (Ireland) 69, 72, 74, 69; Howard Clark (Britain) 71, 72, 69, 72; Rodger Davis (Australia) 70, 71, 70, 73. 285 - Hal Sutton (U.S.) 68, 71, 75, 71; Mark James (Britain) 70, 70, 74, 71; Tohru Nakamura (Japan) 73, 69, 72, 71; Jack Nicklaus (U.S.) 71, 72, 72, 70; Tom Kite (U.S.) 71, 72, 72, 70; Mike McCullough (U.S.) 74, 69, 72, 70; Lu Chien-Soon (Taiwan) 71, 72, 74, 68; Lanny Wadkins (U.S.) 72, 73, 72, 68; Curtis Strange (U.S.) 74, 68, 70,

73; .Terry Gale (Australia) 72, 66, 72, 75.

286 — Kikuo Arai (Japan) 74, 67, 75, 70; Bob Gilder (U.S.) 70, 76, 70, 70; Tony Jacklin (Britain) 71, 75, 71, 69; Chris Moody (Britain) 74, 69, 70, 73; lan Collins (Britain) 70, 75, 68, 73; Vicente Fernandez (Argentina) 70, 72, 72, 72. 287 — Tim Simpson (U.S.) 73, 69, 72, 73; Vaughan Somers (Australia) 68, 75, 71, 73; Clive Tucker (Britain) 73, 71, 73, 70; Masahiro Kuramoto (Japan) 70, 74, 73, 70; Manuel Pinero (Spain) 74, 72, 71, 70; Tom Weiskopf (U.S.) 73, 73, 69, 72; Mark McNulty (South Africa) 72, 69, 68, 78; Graham Burroughs (Britain) 71, 74, 71, 71. 288 — Bobby Clampett (U.S.) 74, 72, 71, 71; Larry Nelson (U.S.) 70, 73, 73, 72; Sam Torrance (Britain) 68, 73, 74, 73. 289 — Bernhard Langer (West Germany) 67, 72, 76, 74; Arnold Palmer (U.S.) 72, 74, 68, 75; Mark Johnson (Britain) 70, 72, 71, 76. 290 — Manuel Calero (Spain) 70, 75, 69, 75; John O’Leary (Ireland) 74, 68, 69, 79. 291 — Ronan Rafferty (Ireland) 75, 67, 73, 76. 292 — Mike Ingham (Britain) 71, 73, 70, 78. 295 — Hsieh Ye-Shu (Taiwan) 71, 72, 74, 78.

Watson needs this victory to complete golfs Grand Slam: “It is foremost in my mind now, I’m warming up and preparing for it,” he said after his momentous Open win. Watson proved himself the supreme golfer in the final round yesterday. He began at eight under par and dropped two strokes as he came to the turn, all the time aware that the Australian, Graham Marsh, was in the clubhouse with an excellent chance of winning at seven under par 277.

“Graham could have easily won the tournament. The strong wind that was blowing in the early part of the round died in the latter stages, thank the Lord,” said Watson.

Watson said the key shot to the tournament for him was on the par four eleventh hole when he made a monster drive off the tee.