ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – At 9:54 p.m. local time, and with darkness quickly descending on the Old Course, the old champion rolled in one final putt.
Before a thinned but enthusiastic crowd, Tom Watson completed his final round in the Open Championship on Friday, an 8-over 80 that left him alone in last place in the 156-player field.
The five-time winner of the claret jug played his 38th and final Open Championship 40 years after winning his first Open in 1975.
Much like he did in 2009, when at the age of 59 he finished runner-up to Stewart Cink at Turnberry, Watson began his press conference with perspective.