Watson Now Follows Woods In Everything Except Alphabetically
Hello. When I was a teenager, Tom Watson was THE MAN. Sure Jack Nicklaus won some important tournaments during that time. But Watson did beat him head-to-head in the Masters, US Open and British Open, when it was just the two of them. The 1977 Turnberry duel, where Watson is this week for the Senior British Open, was one of the all-time classics, 2nd only in my mind now to the 2000 PGA between Tiger Woods and Bob May for drama.
And this realization has led me to another one - Tiger Woods has more wins and more majors than Tom Watson. Many more, as in 3 more majors and 10 more tournaments. And he's just 30. And he's hardly played this year, yet won 3 times, including a major. And he's the overwhelming favourite to win now every time he tees it up for at least the rest of this year. And, and, and.....
The fact that Tiger Woods could be ahead of Watson, who makes anyone's list of Hall of Famers, so relatively early in his career, is amazing to me. What's even more amazing is that Tiger has a chance to equal or exceed Watson's 5 British Open wins. Considering that last week at this time I was wondering if he'd ever win a British Open anywhere else other than St. Andrews, that's quite a change in perspective. But now Woods has to be considered the favourite in all future British Opens, especially since his most recent serious opponent, Phil Mickelson, has a relatively poor record in the event.
How will we measure the careers of someone like Tom Watson now that Tiger is on the charge to maybe own all golf records at the end of his career? Will we think of Watson as a "one event pony" because he won 5 British Opens, but "only" 2 Masters, 1 US Open and no PGAs? Will his win total look small because Tiger may have twice as many when he's done?
And will the Golf Hall of Fame qualifications also rise to higher standards? Will Davis Love III get in, with only one major? Will Fred Couples? Will Curtis Strange, who I think should've been in years ago? Will people wonder why Tom Kite, with only one major, is in, even though he was career leading money winner for a decade?
Tiger has made all these questions safe to ask now, when before they would've been ludicrous. He has changed our way of thinking about greatness. And we're all the better for it.
Regards,
Steve
And this realization has led me to another one - Tiger Woods has more wins and more majors than Tom Watson. Many more, as in 3 more majors and 10 more tournaments. And he's just 30. And he's hardly played this year, yet won 3 times, including a major. And he's the overwhelming favourite to win now every time he tees it up for at least the rest of this year. And, and, and.....
The fact that Tiger Woods could be ahead of Watson, who makes anyone's list of Hall of Famers, so relatively early in his career, is amazing to me. What's even more amazing is that Tiger has a chance to equal or exceed Watson's 5 British Open wins. Considering that last week at this time I was wondering if he'd ever win a British Open anywhere else other than St. Andrews, that's quite a change in perspective. But now Woods has to be considered the favourite in all future British Opens, especially since his most recent serious opponent, Phil Mickelson, has a relatively poor record in the event.
How will we measure the careers of someone like Tom Watson now that Tiger is on the charge to maybe own all golf records at the end of his career? Will we think of Watson as a "one event pony" because he won 5 British Opens, but "only" 2 Masters, 1 US Open and no PGAs? Will his win total look small because Tiger may have twice as many when he's done?
And will the Golf Hall of Fame qualifications also rise to higher standards? Will Davis Love III get in, with only one major? Will Fred Couples? Will Curtis Strange, who I think should've been in years ago? Will people wonder why Tom Kite, with only one major, is in, even though he was career leading money winner for a decade?
Tiger has made all these questions safe to ask now, when before they would've been ludicrous. He has changed our way of thinking about greatness. And we're all the better for it.
Regards,
Steve
posted by Irrelevant at 12:29 PM
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