Watson not ready to retire

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July 9, 2010

Tom Watson insists he will continue to play golf for as long as he can still challenge for titles.

Tom Watson insists he will continue to play golf for as long as he can still challenge for titles.
The 60-year-old defied sporting logic at The Open last year when he went within one putt of becoming the oldest player to win a major by an astonishing 11 years.
But his bid for a record-equalling sixth Open title ended when he missed the nine-foot putt and fell away in the ensuing play-off against eventual champion Stewart Cink.
St Andrews hosts the Championship next week and Watson will be returning to a course where he could conceivably still be in the mix during the final round.
“I’m a golfer, it’s what I do,” said the American, speaking during the promotion of his ‘Lessons of a Lifetime’ DVD.
“I’m grateful to have been able to play a game for a living my whole life.
“I only half-jokingly said I’ve never had to work a day in my life because I’ve been playing a game I truly love for a living.
“There have been times when I’ve hated it but my appetite is as strong as ever.
“I’m here to compete and when I can no longer compete, I’ll stop.”
Harry Vardon is the only man to win The Open six times and Watson will have a better idea next week of whether he can match his achievement.
“Ask me on Wednesday if I can hit that record. Right now I’m unsure about my putting, as I was last year,” he said.
“I’ll figure something out that will work for me for just a few days.”
Watson’s success at Turnberry 12 months ago caught everyone but himself unaware.
“I didn’t surprise myself – I felt I had the ability to compete against who I call ‘the kids’ on certain courses,” he said.
“I still have the ability to hit the ball squarely and pretty far and do the right things to beat people.
“On other courses I can’t hit the ball far or high enough to do it.
“I have to pick and choose my venues and Turnberry is one of them.”