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Notebook: Has Watson Played His Final U.S. Open?

By David Shefter, USGA

Pebble Beach, Calif. - As Tom Watson walked up the 18th fairway, the 1982 U.S. Open champion fought back tears. The only golfer to have competed in all five U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Watson likely played his 112th and final round in the National Open on Sunday.

Given a special exemption into this year's field by the USGA, the 60-year-old Watson posted a 5-over 76 on the 7,040-yard layout for a 72-hole total of 11-over 295 and a share of 29th place.

The only way Watson, who made his 31st Open start this week, could earn his way into the 2011 U.S. Open would be to win the U.S. Senior Open later this summer at Sahalee Country Club or claim next month's British Open, something he nearly pulled off last July at Turnberry.

Otherwise, Watson's final stroke will have been a 4-foot par putt that rattled around the hole before dropping. That came after he missed a 2-foot birdie putt.

Once Watson picked the ball out of the hole, he ceremoniously tossed it into Stillwater Cove that abuts the 18th, something he also did when he won the Open here 28 years ago.

"I drew a blank on the putt and just pushed it," said Watson, whose son, Michael, caddied for him this week. "I guess I just closed my eyes and hoped."

Throughout his stroll around Pebble Beach, Watson felt the cheers and adoration from the fans. But he also had some sadness, knowing that he may never compete in a U.S. Open again. Four-time champion Jack Nicklaus, who won the 1972 Open at Pebble, also ended his U.S. Open career here 10 years ago after 44 appearances.

Among those in the gallery was former USGA President Sandy Tatum, like Watson a Stanford graduate.

"We have a lot of history here," said Watson. "I won the Crosby here when he was my partner. We have done a lot of things together."

Championship Inside The Championship

While most people follow the golfers contending for the title at the U.S. Open, there are plenty of other battles within the championship that take place on the final day.

The low 10 scorers and ties receive exemptions into the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., while the low eight and ties get invitations to the 2011 Masters.

Then there's the battle for low amateur. This week at Pebble Beach, two of the 10 amateurs in the field qualified for the weekend, with left-hander Scott Langley of the University of Illinois tying University of Georgia All-American Russell Henley at 8-over-par 292 (T-16).

Langley, a St. Louis resident who won the NCAA Division I individual title in early June at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn., carded an even-par 71 in the final round.

"I know Russell was playing great," said Langley of the race for low amateur. "I just wanted to enjoy my last day at Pebble Beach. It's been such a fun week."

Langley amazingly needed just 21 putts in the final round. His week also included an eagle-3 at the par-5 sixth hole on Saturday. Later this summer, Langley will compete in the U.S. Amateur Public Links and U.S. Amateur before heading back to Illinois for his senior season. He also has talked about making a run for next year's USA Walker Cup Team that will be captained by St. Louis resident Jim Holtgrieve.

"We haven't talked specifically about that, but I know that I have to play well," said Langley, who visited one of California's famous fast-food joints on Saturday night, In-N-Out-Burger. "They're not going to pick me if I don't play well, and they shouldn't. I know this [performance] helps. It's still a ways down the road, but it's nice to know I'm at least on the radar."

Like Langley, Henley has another season at Georgia, where he was one of the country's best players in 2009-10. He finished the weekend strong with rounds of 72-73.

"It was awesome, it was really awesome," said Henley. "I played well. I got off to a shaky start every day, but I just kept chugging along and good things seemed to happen."

Henley definitely had the crowd going each time, fist-pumping and raising his arms to the cheers after making a birdie.

"Those fans out there, nobody gives them enough credit," said Henley. "I told my brother every time I made a birdie today … I'd remember saying this one was for the crowd and the people cheering. It wasn't about me playing well. It was about them having a good time and I tried to make that happen."

As for the battle with Langley, Henley said: "Every time I've ever talked to him, he's just so nice. He seems like an incredibly nice guy."

Moving Up

Matt Kuchar started the final round tied for 23rd, but a final-round 68 earned the 1997 U.S. Amateur champion a share of sixth place and a spot in the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club.

The 68 tied for the lowest round on Sunday, and was matched by Ben Curtis (T-14th, 291), Bo Van Pelt (T-40th, 297) and Jim Herman (T-47th, 298).

Curtis began the final round tied for 49th, but the 2003 British Open champion moved up 35 spots. In years past, that would have been good enough for an exemption into the next Open, but the USGA recently changed the exemption criteria from the low 15 and ties to the low 10 scorers and ties. Still, Curtis made some decent money on Sunday.

"If you just post a number in the red, you're going to move up," said Curtis, who was the first golfer since Francis Ouimet at the 1913 U.S. Open to win a major in his first appearance. "I looked at the scores last night. I was only three shots from about 20th place, so I just knew that if I got a couple under, you bolt right up there."

For the record, the final-round scoring average was 74.87; just six players posted sub-par scores.

The (Double) Eagle Has Landed

Shaun Micheel recorded the second double eagle in U.S. Open history by holing out from 239 yards with a 3-iron at the par-5 sixth hole. T.C. Chen first achieved the feat in the first round of the 1985 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills Country Club at the second hole. It was the 15th double eagle in major championship history.

"I hit the best 3-iron I've hit in a long time," said Micheel. "And I hear people kind of moaning and groaning and I hear this roar, and it was the greatest feeling ever. The only disappointment … is I didn't see it go in. It was certainly something I will remember for a long time."

Micheel, one of the three first-round leaders, closed with a 1-over 72 and a 293 total. He said he tucked the ball away in his golf bag for safekeeping.

"I'll probably give that one to my mom," said Micheel, whose mother is extremely ill.

David Shefter is a USGA communications staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.

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