January 18, 2010 12:00 AM
In a 2009 calendar year that offered Kansas City sports fans little, a four-day window last July offered quite a lot. At the age of 59, Tom Watson came within one shot of becoming the oldest major championship winner by eleven years, eclipsing “Old” Tom Morris as the oldest British Open winner by thirteen years and tying Harry Vardon, at six titles, for the most British Open victories ever.
Turnberry 2009 recalled Watson favorite Teddy Roosevelt’s embrace of the “strenuous life” as we watched Tom fight the wind and rain that Friday to join the weekend leader board --because competing at the highest level “is what it is all about, isn’t it?” It reminded us of the Watson that prevailed against Nicklaus at the same Alisa course in their famous Duel in the Sun. It harkened back to the Watson that challenged for supremacy of the sport.
His improbable success at Turnberry, coupled with a lifetime of achievement, led the Royal and Ancient Club (R&A) in recent weeks to establish a qualifying exemption for past champions with Top Ten finishes in any of the previous five Open. Thus, Watson effectively has a 5-year exemption that will see him playing through 2014, starting at the Old Course at St. Andrews this coming July.
In the wake of the R&A decision, and as countless year-end sports reviews reminded us of the play that catalyzed the rule change, it is worth asking ourselves as we commence 2010 whether Kansas City has done enough to recognize Tom Watson.
His current collection of work is an impressive one. Watson lays claim to eight major championships –a number greater than Arnold Palmer. He was a 6-time player of the year, a total second only to Tiger Woods. He won the Vardon Trophy in three consecutive years. He earned a spot in four Ryder Cups and captained the victorious 1993 team.
Amid those accomplishments, his mastery of links golf is what places him amongst the game’s greatest names. He has hoisted five Claret jugs thus far along with three Senior Open Championships. And his play at Turnberry last summer only solidified his place, in the words of the BBC’s Peter Alliss, as the finest links golfer of all-time.
Beyond his success on the course, Kansas City also has benefited from the work of Watson off the course. He spent a quarter century supporting Children’s Mercy with his annual golf event. He has invested countless hours raising awareness and funds for ALS following the loss of his long-time caddy Bruce Edwards. And in 2004, he established the Watson Cup with charitable proceeds going to First Tee, a foundation dedicated to helping young people learn the principles of golf and life.
As the 5-year R&A exemption establishes a timeframe for Watson to round out his professional record, Kansas City should use this 60-month period to build a fitting memorial to a man that Golf Digest ranked one of the ten greatest golfers of all-time.
Whether it is housed at a midtown Union Station or adjacent to a downtown Power and Light, a Watson showcase could serve as a source of revenue generation and regional pride. But more than that, it would affirm our appreciation for a sportsman that has represented Kansas City with competitive grit and uncommon grace for four decades.
Those character attributes were on full display at Turnberry. Watson exemplified, as Roosevelt said, what it means to be in the arena --“to dare mighty things, even if checkered by failure, [rather than] live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” It is time for Kansas City to return the favor and build a proper tribute to Tom.
Donald Trigg is Managing Director of Cerner Corporation United Kingdom office. He attended the 2009 British Open Championship in Ayrshire, Scotland, following Watson during his final round.
Kansas City should use this period to build a fitting memorial to a man that Golf Digest ranked one of the ten greatest golfers of all-time.
