Thomas Sturges Watson (born September 4, 1949) is an Americanprofessional golfer. In the 1970s and 1980s, Watson was one of the leading golfers in the world, winning eightmajor championships and heading the PGA Tour money list five times. He was the number one player in the world according toMcCormack's World Golf Rankings from 1978 until 1982; in both 1983 and 1984, he was ranked second behindSeve Ballesteros. He also spent 32 weeks in the top 10 of the successorSony Rankings in their debut in 1986.[2]
Watson is also notable for his longevity: at nearly sixty years of age, and 26 years after his last major championship victory, he led after the second and third rounds ofThe Open Championship in2009, but lost in a four-hole playoff. With a chance to win the tournament with par on the 72nd hole, he missed an 8-foot (2.4 m) putt, then lost toStewart Cink in the playoff.
Several of Watson's major victories came at the expense ofJack Nicklaus, the man he replaced as number one, most notably the1977 Masters,1977 Open Championship, and the1982 U.S. Open. Though his rivalry with Nicklaus was intense, their friendly competitiveness served to increase golf's popularity at the time.
In Watson's career, his eightmajor wins include five Open Championships,[3] twoMasters titles, and oneU.S. Open title. In all, Watson's eight majors ranks sixth on thelist of total major championship victories, behind only Nicklaus,Tiger Woods,Walter Hagen,Ben Hogan, andGary Player.
Watson is also regarded as one of the greatestlinks players of all time, a claim backed up by his fiveOpen Championship victories, his runner-up finishes at the1984 Open Championship and2009 Open Championship, and his threeSenior British Open Championship titles in his mid-50s (2003,2005, and2007).
Watson played on fourRyder Cup teams and captained the American side to victory in1993 atThe Belfry in England. More than twenty years later, Watson again captained the U.S. Team in2014 in Scotland, this time in a loss.[4]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion with: more on his parents, family, and upbringing. You can help byadding to it.(July 2025) |
Watson was born inKansas City, Missouri. He was introduced to the game by his father, Ray. His early coach was Stan Thirsk at theKansas City Country Club. Watson first gained local renown while on his high school team atThe Pembroke-Country Day School in Kansas City.
Watson won four Missouri State Amateur championships: in 1967, 1968, 1970, and 1971.[5] He attendedStanford University, playing on the golf and table tennis teams, and joinedAlpha Sigma Phi. He graduated with a degree inpsychology in 1971.
Watson joined the PGA Tour in1971. He hiredBruce Edwards to be his caddie for the first time at the1973St. Louis tournament held at Norwood Hills Country Club, and the two connected, with Edwards caddying for Watson at most events after that for a period of many years.[6]
Watson contended in a major championship for the first time at the U.S. Open in1974 atWinged Foot, but he faded badly in the final round after having the 54-hole lead. Following this disappointment, Watson was approached in the locker room by legendary retired playerByron Nelson, abroadcaster at the event, who offered encouragement, insight and assistance. Nelson and Watson spoke briefly at that time, with Nelson saying he liked Watson's game and aggressiveness, and offered to help him improve. Watson, although disappointed by his weak finish, was flattered to receive Nelson's interest. However, the two men did not manage to get together to work on golf in depth until several months later, when Watson played in the Tour's Byron Nelson Classic in theDallas area, and visited Nelson's nearby home. The two men would eventually develop a close and productive teacher-student relationship and friendship; Nelson had similarly mentored the young rising starKen Venturi during the 1950s.[7][8]
Only two weeks after the Winged Foot collapse in1974, Watson won his first Tour title at theWestern Open nearChicago, coming from six shots back in the final round atButler National.[9][10] With Nelson's guidance on swing mechanics and course management, and determined hard work, Watson's game advanced quickly, and he won his first major championship, the1975 Open Championship, on his first appearance in the event in Britain. Watson holed a 20-foot putt for a birdie on the 72nd hole to tieJack Newton. The following day Watson won an 18-hole playoff atCarnoustie by a stroke, carding a 71 to Newton's 72. Watson was able to gain the upper hand in the playoff after chipping in for an eagle at the 14th hole.[11] Watson is one of only four players since World War II to have won the Open Championship on their debut, the others beingBen Hogan (1953),Tony Lema (1964) andBen Curtis (2003).[12]
Watson won his second major championship and his first green jacket as Masters champion in 1977 after a duel with Jack Nicklaus. During the final round, Watson stood on the 17th green tied with Nicklaus for the lead. Watson holed a 20-foot putt for a birdie to go one stroke ahead of Nicklaus. Watson's par on the 18th hole won him the Masters title by two strokes after Nicklaus had a bogey on the 18th.
Watson's1977 Open Championship victory, atTurnberry in Scotland, was especially memorable, and is considered by many to be the finest tournament played in the second half of the 20th century. After two rounds, he and Jack Nicklaus were one shot out of the lead and paired for the third round. Both shot 65, ending the third round three shots clear of the field. Watson and Nicklaus were again paired for the final round. On the last day, the two were tied after 16 holes. Nicklaus missed a makeable birdie putt on 17, losing his share of the lead to Watson, who birdied 17. On the 18th, Nicklaus drove into the rough, while Watson drove the fairway. Watson's approach landed two feet from the flag, while Nicklaus, after a drive into deep rough and near agorse plant, managed to get his approach 40 feet away. Nicklaus sank his birdie putt to finish with a 66, but Watson followed suit with his own birdie, finishing with a second straight 65 and his second Open, with a record score of 268 (12 under par). The two players finished well ahead of the other challengers (Hubert Green in third place was ten strokes behind Nicklaus, at 279), and shot the same score every round except for the final day, which was then played on Saturday.
In 1978, as defending Masters champion, Watson needed a par on the 18th hole of his final round to tie over 72 holes withGary Player, who had shot a record-tying final round of 64. However, Watson missed out on a playoff by sending his approach shot to the 18th into the gallery and missing the 10-foot par putt he needed for a playoff. He finished tied for 2nd place at Augusta, one stroke behind Gary Player.[13] Watson had five PGA Tour victories in 1978, but he also had one of the biggest disappointments of his career in that year's PGA Championship in August atOakmont. Watson had a five-shot lead after 54 holes, but lost the tournament in a 3-way sudden-death playoff toJohn Mahaffey. This would be the closest that Watson came to landing the one major title that eluded him.[14]
In 1979, Watson had a further five PGA Tour victories, including a five-shot victory in theSea Pines Heritage Classic, which he won with a then tournament record 14-under par 270.[15] Watson again finished runner-up at the Masters in 1979, when he lost in a 3-way sudden-death playoff toFuzzy Zoeller. This was the first sudden-death playoff at the Masters, with the previous playoff at Augusta in 1970 having taken place on Monday under an 18-hole format. Watson also finished 2nd inThe Players Championship in 1979.
Watson had an outstanding year in 1980. A brilliant third round of 64 atMuirfield helped him to win his third Open Championship title in Britain by four strokes. He was the leading money winner on the PGA Tour for the fourth consecutive year, winning six tournaments in America. Watson showed tremendous consistency in 1980, with sixteen top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour that year.[16] In August 1980, after his sixth victory of the year in America, Watson said: "I love this game. I feel that dedication is the only way to improve. I've been more consistent this year than in the previous three years."[17]
In 1981, Watson won his second Masters title at Augusta by two strokes over Jack Nicklaus andJohnny Miller. Watson had a further two Tour victories in 1981 at theUSF&G New Orleans Open and theAtlanta Classic.
The U.S. Open was the major that Watson most wanted to win. In 1982 atPebble Beach, he was able to realize his dream after an engaging duel with Jack Nicklaus in one of the most memorable major championships of all time. Playing three groups ahead of Watson in the final round, Nicklaus charged into a share of the lead with five consecutive birdies. When Watson reached the par-3 17th hole the two were still tied, but with Nicklaus safely in the clubhouse at 4-under par 284. Watson hit his tee shot on the 17th into the rough just off the green, leaving an extremely difficultchip shot downhill on a very fast green. While being interviewed on national television and fully aware of Watson's perilous predicament, Nicklaus appeared confident he was on his way to an unprecedented fifth U.S. Open championship. Watson's chip shot, amazingly, hit the flag stick and fell into the cup, giving him a miraculous birdie and setting the stage for yet another win over Nicklaus. Watson went on to birdie the 18th as well, for a final margin of two shots.
The following month in July 1982 atRoyal Troon in Scotland, Watson became only the third golfer since World War II to win the U.S. Open and Open Championship in the same year after Ben Hogan (1953) andLee Trevino (1971) - a feat later matched byTiger Woods (2000).[18] After the first two rounds of the 1982 Open Championship, Watson was seven shots behind the leaderBobby Clampett, whose commanding lead was reduced after a third round of 78. During the final round,Nick Price, who was playing in one of the groups behind Watson, gained the lead. Watson stood on the 18th tee of the final round two strokes behind Price. Watson waited patiently after his round as Price's lead evaporated, leaving Watson the Open winner by one stroke.[19]
In 1983, as defending U.S. Open champion at Oakmont, Watson shared the 54-hole lead withSeve Ballesteros. In the final round though, Watson missed a 6-foot putt for par on the 17th and finished in 2nd place, one stroke behind the winnerLarry Nelson.[20] The following month in July 1983, Watson won his fifth Open Championship and the last of his eight majors atRoyal Birkdale, his only Open victory on English soil. (His four other titles came in Scotland.)[21]
In 1984, Watson finished runner-up for the third time at the Masters, finishing two strokes behind the championBen Crenshaw. Watson had three Tour wins in 1984, including his third victory in the Western Open after a playoff againstGreg Norman. A fortnight later in the 1984 Open Championship atSt Andrews, Watson was in contention during the final holes to win a third consecutive Open and a sixth Open Championship overall to tie the record for the most Open wins byHarry Vardon. However, Watson bogeyed the par-4 "Road Hole" 17th and Seve Ballesteros birdied the 18th, resulting in a victory for Ballesteros and Watson finishing in a tie for 2nd place.[22]
After his runner-up finish in the 1984 British Open, Watson did not manage to win a PGA Tour event for the next three years until the 1987Nabisco Championship. Watson went from being the PGA Tour money leader in 1984[23] to finishing 18th on the PGA Tour's money list in 1985.[23] As a result of a decline in form, Watson missed out on a place in the 1985 U.S. Ryder Cup team.
In the 1986Hawaiian Open, Watson was the third-round leader and was aiming to end his winless streak since July 1984. However, Watson bogeyed the 71st and 72nd holes and finished in a tie for 3rd place, behind the winnerCorey Pavin.[24]
In the 1987 U.S. Open, Watson had a one-shot lead going into the final round at theOlympic Club. Watson was a gallery favorite during the tournament. He had strong support from the spectators having played golf for Stanford University, 30 miles south of the Olympic Club in San Francisco.[25] He was aiming to win his ninth major championship, which would have tied him for major wins with Ben Hogan and Gary Player, but Watson lost the tournament by a stroke toScott Simpson. In the final round, Simpson had three consecutive birdies on the back-nine to take the lead. Watson's 45-foot putt for a birdie on the 72nd hole which would have forced a playoff with Simpson was about two inches short.[26]
Watson's stellar play on the PGA Tour faded in the late 1980s when he began to have problems putting even though his tee-to-green game seemed to improve. During this period he had some near-misses in tournaments. Watson finished 2nd at the 1988NEC World Series of Golf, missing a 3-foot putt in a playoff againstMike Reid.[27]
In 1989, Watson was in contention during the Open Championship at Royal Troon, but he finished in 4th place, two strokes outside the playoff betweenMark Calcavecchia,Wayne Grady and Greg Norman.
At the 1991 Masters Tournament, Watson stood on the 18th tee in the final round at Augusta with a share of the lead but had a double-bogey 6 to finish in a tie for 3rd place, two strokes behind the championIan Woosnam.[28] It was Watson's 15th consecutive top-20 finish at The Masters, having finished in the top-10 of The Masters in 13 of the 15 years between 1977 and 1991.
In1994, when The Open Championship returned toTurnberry, the site of his1977 victory, Watson commented, "Sometimes you lose your desire through the years. Any golfer goes through that. When you play golf for a living, like anything in your life, you are never going to be constantly, at the top".[29] He finished tied for 11th at the Open Championship that year, but he had a revival in the late 1990s, winning the 1996Memorial Tournament and gaining the last of his 39 wins on the PGA Tour at the 1998MasterCard Colonial when he was 48 years old.
In 1997, Watson won the Japan Golf Tour'sDunlop Phoenix tournament for the second time. It was the last of his four victories in Japan.
In 1999, Watson joined the Champions Tour. He has 14 wins on the Champions Tour, including sixsenior majors, while playing a limited schedule of events. Watson shares with Gary Player andBernhard Langer three victories for each in theSenior Open Championship. Watson revisited his 1977Open Championship win at Turnberry with another win there in the2003 Senior Open Championship. He followed this up with victories in2005 and2007.
Since he turned 50, Watson has also had some success in the regular major championships. At the2003 U.S. Open, at age 53, he shared the opening-round lead by shooting a 65 with his long-time caddyBruce Edwards carrying his clubs and giving advice. Edwards had been diagnosed withLou Gehrig's disease earlier in the year, and Watson contributed significant time and money that year with Edwards to raise money for research into finding a cure for motor neuron disease. Edwards died on April 8, 2004.
During his senior career, Watson is probably best known for his performance at the2009 Open Championship. In the first round of the event, held atTurnberry, Watson shot a 5-under 65, one stroke behind the leaderMiguel Ángel Jiménez.[30] In the second round, he tied for the lead after making a huge putt on the 18th green. His score for the round was 70, 38 out and 32 back. This made Watson – at 59 years of age – the oldest man to have the lead after any round of a major. In addition, with a relatively low-scoring third round, one-over-par 71, he kept the lead outright by one shot, so also became the oldest player to lead a major going into the last round. He acknowledged after that 3rd round he was thinking ofBruce Edwards as he walked the 18th fairway.[31] Watson finished regulation 72-hole play in the Open tied for the lead withStewart Cink, with a cumulative score of −2. He needed a par on the 72nd hole to capture a sixth career Open Championship title, but his second shot on the 72nd hole went over the green. Then, from several yards behind the 18th green, Watson first putted up the slope and past the hole, then missed a second 8-foot putt by about 6 inches to the right of the cup. His bogey led to a four-hole aggregate playoff with Cink, running through the 5th, 6th, 17th, and 18th holes. With several errant shots not typical of the previous 72 holes, he lost the playoff by six strokes.[32] In an interview in 2012, Watson admitted that he was "distraught" at coming so close to becoming the oldest Major winner at the age of 59 and said that the experience in the 2009 Open Championship "tore his guts out". Watson said of his approach shot to the green at the 72nd hole, when he needed a par to win the Open: "I was going right at the flag but with the uncertainty of links golf, maybe a gust of wind took it a bit further than it was supposed to. I felt extreme disappointment that night but the one good thing that came of that was the response of people around the world."[33]
The following April, Watson competed in the2010 Masters Tournament. Watson shot an opening-round 67, one shot off the first-round lead held by fellow Champions Tour playerFred Couples. Watson subsequently posted rounds of 74, 73, and 73. His 72-hole, one-under-par total of 287 gave Watson a share of eighteenth place. TheUSGA awarded Watson a special exemption to the2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, to mark his victory at the same venue in the 1982 U.S. Open and his performances in recent majors. He finished the tournament tied for 29th.
For the2015 Open Championship, Watson's exemption for his 2009 finish was extended to give him an opportunity to play at St. Andrews and make one final Open appearance. Watson won Open Championships at five different courses, but St. Andrews was not among them. He missed the cut and made an emotional walk across the Swilcan Bridge at twilight.[34] In April 2016, he played in his final Masters. After saying in the lead up to the event that he 'couldn't compete' anymore,[35] Watson missed the cut by two strokes.[36]
Despite no longer competing at the full Masters, Watson won the 2018Masters Tournament Par-3 contest at the age of 68, the oldest ever to win the event.
In July 2019, Watson played his final competitive event on British soil, when he played in the Senior British Open for the final time.[37]
Watson has been one of the most complete players ever to play golf, as evidenced by his competitiveness in the2009 Open Championship at the age of 59. Standing 5 ft 9 in and weighing 160 pounds during hisPGA Tour years, he achieved abundant length with accuracy, played aggressively, developed a superlative short game, and in his prime was a very skilled and confident putter. Watson is renowned as an exceptional bad-weather golfer, having displayed this gritty talent best in the difficult and varied conditions ofThe Open Championship. At the height of his career, he was well known for his excellent recovery skills, especially around the greens. Years later, if a player escaped from trouble and somehow made par, tour players described the escape as a "Watson par".[38]
Watson also developed a reputation for scrupulous honesty, once even calling a penalty stroke on himself for slightly moving a ball that was in deep rough, although no one else had seen it.[39] In 1991, Watson was critical of the heckling of his playing partner Ian Woosnam during the final round of the Masters. Some of the Augusta crowd were vociferous in their support for Watson, in the hope of seeing him win a third Masters title. Watson, however, calmed Woosnam after he was upset at being yelled at by a member of the crowd on the 14th tee. Watson later said: "There's been a breakdown in decorum, and I don't feel good when partisanship spills over."[40]
In 2010, Watson said that he agreed withLee Westwood's assertion that Tour players who used20-year-old Ping-Eye 2 wedges to get around new rules prohibiting box grooves (i.e., grooves rectangular [including square] or U-shaped in cross-section) were going against "the spirit of the game." Watson also reprimanded Tiger Woods for his "language and club-throwing" and said that Woods needed to "show humility" to the public.[41]
Watson has been outspoken about the effect that too much prize money can have on some golfers. In an interview in 2010, Watson said: "I do believe that, in certain instances, players can be corrupted by the amount of money they make. I think too much money corrupts the desire and for some players it's about how much money they make rather than just trying to be the best player they can."[42]
In 1972, Watson married Linda Rubin. They had two children. In 1997, they divorced. Two years later, he married Hilary Watson. They were married for twenty years until her death in 2019. Three years after her death, in 2022, he married Leslie Anne Wade. However, they separated later in the year.
Watson was a member ofKansas City Country Club from the beginning of his professional career. However, in 1990 he was unsettled by the idea that the leaders of the club rejected an applicant due to his Jewish faith.[43] Watson, whose wife at the time and two children were Jewish, stated, "It was a very personal decision. I just didn't feel my family was welcome. It was time to say, 'Hey, let's be fair to people. Let's not judge people on the basis of race or faith.'"[44] Watson abruptly resigned in 1990.[43][45] However the Jewish applicant,H&R Block founderHenry W. Bloch, was ultimately admitted to the club as were other minorities. Disarmed by these overtures, Watson rejoined the club.[44]
Watson has also been involved in politics. Although he voted forGeorge McGovern in his first presidential election, Watson later became aRepublican.[44] He has also donated to theNational Rifle Association.[46] In addition, Watson was a prominent participant in the unsuccessful legal effort to prevent the annexation of the area in which he lives byOverland Park, Kansas.
After residing for many years inMission Hills, Kansas, Watson moved toStilwell, Kansas, with his second wife, two children, and three stepchildren. His house has since been annexed by the city ofOverland Park.[1] He designed theNational Golf Club of Kansas City golf course.
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (8) |
| Tour Championships (1) |
| Other PGA Tour (30) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 30,1974 | Western Open | 72-71-75-69=287 | +3 | 2 strokes |  J. C. Snead,Tom Weiskopf |
| 2 | May 12,1975 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic | 72-63-69-65=269 | −15 | 2 strokes | Bob E. Smith |
| 3 | Jul 13, 1975 | The Open Championship | 71-67-69-72=279 | −9 | Playoff |  Jack Newton |
| 4 | Jan 23,1977 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | 66-69-67-71=273 | −15 | 1 stroke |  Tony Jacklin |
| 5 | Jan 30, 1977 | Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational | 66-67-67-69=269 | −19 | 5 strokes | Larry Nelson,John Schroeder |
| 6 | Apr 10, 1977 | Masters Tournament | 70-69-70-67=276 | −12 | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 7 | Jun 26, 1977 | Western Open (2) | 70-69-75-69=283 | −5 | 1 stroke | Wally Armstrong,Johnny Miller |
| 8 | Jul 9, 1977 | The Open Championship (2) | 68-70-65-65=268 | −12 | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus |
| 9 | Jan 8,1978 | Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open | 63-68-73-72=276 | −12 | 3 strokes | Bobby Wadkins |
| 10 | Jan 23, 1978 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am (2) | 66-74-71-69=280 | −8 | Playoff | Ben Crenshaw |
| 11 | May 7, 1978 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic (2) | 69-67-70-66=272 | −8 | 1 stroke | Lee Trevino |
| 12 | Aug 27, 1978 | Colgate Hall of Fame Classic | 72-67-67-71=277 | −7 | 1 stroke | Hale Irwin,Tom Kite,Howard Twitty |
| 13 | Sep 24, 1978 | Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic | 68-69-66-67=270 | −18 | 3 strokes | Ed Sneed |
| 14 | Apr 1,1979 | Sea Pines Heritage Classic | 65-65-69-71=270 | −14 | 5 strokes | Ed Sneed |
| 15 | Apr 22, 1979 | MONY Tournament of Champions | 69-66-70-70=275 | −13 | 6 strokes | Bruce Lietzke,Jerry Pate |
| 16 | May 13, 1979 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic (3) | 64-72-69-70=275 | −5 | Playoff | Bill Rogers |
| 17 | May 27, 1979 | Memorial Tournament | 73-69-72-71=285 | −3 | 3 strokes | Miller Barber |
| 18 | Aug 26, 1979 | Colgate Hall of Fame Classic (2) | 70-68-65-69=272 | −12 | Playoff | Johnny Miller |
| 19 | Jan 27,1980 | Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational (2) | 68-69-68-70=275 | −13 | Playoff | D. A. Weibring |
| 20 | Feb 24, 1980 | Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open | 69-66-70-71=276 | −8 | 1 stroke | Bob Gilder,Don January |
| 21 | Apr 20, 1980 | MONY Tournament of Champions (2) | 65-66-72-73=276 | −12 | 3 strokes | Jim Colbert |
| 22 | Apr 27, 1980 | Greater New Orleans Open | 66-68-66-73=273 | −15 | 2 strokes | Lee Trevino |
| 23 | May 11, 1980 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic (4) | 64-70-69-71=274 | −6 | 1 stroke | Bill Rogers |
| 24 | Jul 20, 1980 | The Open Championship (3) | 68-70-64-69=271 | −13 | 4 strokes | Lee Trevino |
| 25 | Aug 24, 1980 | World Series of Golf | 65-75-65-65=270 | −10 | 2 strokes | Raymond Floyd |
| 26 | Apr 12,1981 | Masters Tournament (2) | 71-68-70-71=280 | −8 | 2 strokes | Johnny Miller,Jack Nicklaus |
| 27 | Apr 26, 1981 | USF&G New Orleans Open (2) | 69-69-64-68=270 | −18 | 2 strokes | Bruce Fleisher |
| 28 | Jun 7, 1981 | Atlanta Classic | 68-70-68-71=277 | −11 | Playoff | Tommy Valentine |
| 29 | Feb 21,1982 | Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open (2) | 69-67-68-67=271 | −13 | Playoff | Johnny Miller |
| 30 | Mar 28, 1982 | Sea Pines Heritage (2) | 69-68-72-71=280 | −4 | Playoff | Frank Conner |
| 31 | Jun 20, 1982 | U.S. Open | 72-72-68-70=282 | −6 | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 32 | Jul 18, 1982 | The Open Championship (4) | 69-71-74-70=284 | −4 | 1 stroke | Peter Oosterhuis, Nick Price |
| 33 | Jul 17,1983 | The Open Championship (5) | 67-68-70-70=275 | −9 | 1 stroke | Andy Bean,Hale Irwin |
| 34 | Jan 8,1984 | Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship | 2 and 1 | Gil Morgan | ||
| 35 | May 6, 1984 | MONY Tournament of Champions (3) | 69-71-67-67=274 | −14 | 5 strokes | Bruce Lietzke |
| 36 | Jul 8, 1984 | Western Open (3) | 71-69-70-70=280 | −8 | Playoff | Greg Norman |
| 37 | Nov 1,1987 | Nabisco Championship | 65-66-69-68=268 | −12 | 2 strokes | Chip Beck |
| 38 | Jun 2,1996 | Memorial Tournament (2) | 70-68-66-70=274 | −14 | 2 strokes | David Duval |
| 39 | May 24,1998 | MasterCard Colonial | 68-66-65-66=265 | −15 | 2 strokes | Jim Furyk |
PGA Tour playoff record (9–5)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1975 | The Open Championship | Jack Newton | Won 18-hole playoff; Watson: −1 (71), Newton: E (72) |
| 2 | 1978 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | Ben Crenshaw | Won with par on second extra hole |
| 3 | 1978 | PGA Championship | John Mahaffey,Jerry Pate | Mahaffey won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 4 | 1979 | Masters Tournament | Ed Sneed,Fuzzy Zoeller | Zoeller won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 5 | 1979 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic | Bill Rogers | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 6 | 1979 | Colgate Hall of Fame Classic | Johnny Miller | Won with par on second extra hole |
| 7 | 1980 | Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational | D. A. Weibring | Won with par on first extra hole |
| 8 | 1981 | Byron Nelson Golf Classic | Bruce Lietzke | Lost to par on first extra hole |
| 9 | 1981 | Atlanta Classic | Tommy Valentine | Won with par on third extra hole |
| 10 | 1982 | Glen Campbell-Los Angeles Open | Johnny Miller | Won with birdie on third extra hole |
| 11 | 1982 | Sea Pines Heritage Classic | Frank Conner | Won with par on third extra hole |
| 12 | 1984 | Western Open | Greg Norman | Won with birdie on third extra hole |
| 13 | 1988 | NEC World Series of Golf | Mike Reid | Lost to par on first extra hole |
| 14 | 2009 | The Open Championship | Stewart Cink | Lost four-hole aggregate playoff; Cink: −2 (4-3-4-3=14), Watson: +4 (5-3-7-5=20) |
| Legend |
|---|
| Major championships (8) |
| Other European Tour (0) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 13,1975 | The Open Championship | 71-67-69-72=279 | −9 | Playoff | Jack Newton |
| 2 | Apr 10,1977 | Masters Tournament | 70-69-70-67=276 | −12 | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 3 | Jul 9, 1977 | The Open Championship (2) | 68-70-65-65=268 | −12 | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus |
| 4 | Jul 20,1980 | The Open Championship (3) | 68-70-64-69=271 | −13 | 4 strokes | Lee Trevino |
| 5 | Apr 12,1981 | Masters Tournament (2) | 71-68-70-71=280 | −8 | 2 strokes | Johnny Miller,Jack Nicklaus |
| 6 | Jun 20,1982 | U.S. Open | 72-72-68-70=282 | −6 | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 7 | Jul 18, 1982 | The Open Championship (4) | 69-71-74-70=284 | −4 | 1 stroke | Peter Oosterhuis,Nick Price |
| 8 | Jul 17,1983 | The Open Championship (5) | 67-68-70-70=275 | −9 | 1 stroke | Andy Bean,Hale Irwin |
European Tour playoff record (1–3)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1975 | The Open Championship | Jack Newton | Won 18-hole playoff; Watson: −1 (71), Newton: E (72) |
| 2 | 1978 | PGA Championship | Jerry Pate,John Mahaffey | Mahaffey won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 3 | 1979 | Masters Tournament | Ed Sneed,Fuzzy Zoeller | Zoeller won with birdie on second extra hole |
| 4 | 2009 | The Open Championship | Stewart Cink | Lost four-hole aggregate playoff; Cink: −2 (4-3-4-3=14), Watson: +4 (5-3-7-5=20) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dec 5,1976 | ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches | 71-66-67-73=277 | −11 | 3 strokes |  Isao Aoki |
| 2 | Nov 23,1980 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament | 68-74-73-67=282 | −6 | 2 strokes | Mike Reid |
| 3 | Nov 4,1984 | Uchida Yoko Cup Japan vs USA Match (2) | 67-68=135 | −7 | 1 stroke | Mark O'Meara,Naomichi Ozaki |
| 4 | Nov 23,1997 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament (2) | 70-65-70-70=275 | −9 | 2 strokes | Naomichi Ozaki |
PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (0–1)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1983 | Dunlop Phoenix Tournament |  Chen Tze-ming | Lost to par on first extra hole |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mar 8,1992 | Hutchison Telecom Hong Kong Open | 65-66-69-74=274 | −10 | 3 strokes |  Ronan Rafferty |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 18, 1984 | National Panasonic Australian Open | 67-72-70-72=281 | −7 | 1 stroke | Bob Stanton |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 7, 1975 | World Series of Golf | 69-71=140 | −4 | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 2 | Nov 27, 1994 | Skins Game | $210,000 | $40,000 | Fred Couples | |
| Legend |
|---|
| Champions Tour major championships (6) |
| Tour Championships (3) |
| Other Champions Tour (5) |
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 19,1999 | Bank One Championship | 67-67-62=196 | −20 | 5 strokes | Bruce Summerhays |
| 2 | Nov 5,2000 | IR Senior Tour Championship | 70-67-67-66=270 | −18 | 1 stroke | John Jacobs |
| 3 | May 27,2001 | Senior PGA Championship | 72-69-66-67=274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Jim Thorpe |
| 4 | Oct 22,2002 | Senior Tour Championship (2) | 74-67-66-67=274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Gil Morgan |
| 5 | Jul 27,2003 | Senior British Open | 66-67-66-64=263 | −17 | Playoff | Carl Mason |
| 6 | Aug 31, 2003 | JELD-WEN Tradition | 68-62-73-70=273 | −15 | 1 stroke | Jim Ahern,Tom Kite |
| 7 | Jul 24,2005 | The Senior British Open Championship (2) | 75-71-64-70=280 | −4 | Playoff |  Des Smyth |
| 8 | Oct 30, 2005 | Charles Schwab Cup Championship (3) | 69-70-69-64=272 | −16 | 1 stroke | Jay Haas |
| 9 | Feb 18,2007 | Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am | 70-69-70=209 | −4 | 1 stroke | Andy Bean,Jay Haas |
| 10 | Jul 29, 2007 | The Senior Open Championship (3) | 70-71-70-73=284 | E | 1 stroke | Stewart Ginn,Mark O'Meara |
| 11 | Apr 20,2008 | Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am (2) | 63-71-70=204 | −9 | 1 stroke | Jay Haas,Scott Hoch |
| 12 | Apr 27, 2008 | Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf (with Andy North) | 59-62-64=185 | −31 | 1 stroke | Jeff Sluman andCraig Stadler |
| 13 | Jan 24,2010 | Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai | 63-66-65=194 | −22 | 1 stroke | Fred Couples |
| 14 | May 29,2011 | Senior PGA Championship (2) | 70-70-68-70=278 | −10 | Playoff | David Eger |
Champions Tour playoff record (3–8)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000 | Boone Valley Classic |  José María Cañizares,Walter Hall,Lanny Wadkins | Wadkins won with par on third extra hole Hall and Watson eliminated by par on first hole |
| 2 | 2000 | The Countrywide Tradition | Tom Kite,Larry Nelson | Kite won with birdie on sixth extra hole Nelson eliminated by par on second hole |
| 3 | 2002 | SBC Senior Classic | Tom Kite | Lost to par on second extra hole |
| 4 | 2002 | U.S. Senior Open | Don Pooley | Lost to birdie on fifth extra hole after three-hole aggregate playoff; Pooley: E (4-4-4=12), Watson: E (4-4-4=12) |
| 5 | 2003 | Kinko's Classic of Austin | Hale Irwin | Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
| 6 | 2003 | Senior British Open | Carl Mason | Won with par on second extra hole |
| 7 | 2004 | ACE Group Classic | Gary Koch,Craig Stadler | Stadler won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 8 | 2005 | MasterCard Championship | Dana Quigley | Lost to par on third extra hole |
| 9 | 2005 | Bayer Advantage Classic | Gil Morgan,Dana Quigley | Quigley won with birdie on first extra hole |
| 10 | 2005 | The Senior British Open Championship | Des Smyth | Won with par on third extra hole |
| 11 | 2011 | Senior PGA Championship | David Eger | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | The Open Championship | 3 shot deficit | −9 (71-67-69-72=279) | Playoff1 | Jack Newton |
| 1977 | Masters Tournament | Tied for lead | −12 (70-69-70-67=276) | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1977 | The Open Championship(2) | Tied for lead | −12 (68-70-65-65=268) | 1 stroke | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1980 | The Open Championship(3) | 4 shot lead | −13 (68-70-64-69=271) | 4 strokes | Lee Trevino |
| 1981 | Masters Tournament(2) | 1 shot lead | −8 (71-68-70-71=280) | 2 strokes | Johnny Miller,Jack Nicklaus |
| 1982 | U.S. Open | Tied for lead | −6 (72-72-68-70=282) | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus |
| 1982 | The Open Championship(4) | 3 shot deficit | −4 (69-71-74-70=284) | 1 stroke | Peter Oosterhuis,Nick Price |
| 1983 | The Open Championship(5) | 1 shot lead | −9 (67-68-70-70=275) | 1 stroke | Andy Bean,Hale Irwin |
1Defeated Newton in 18-hole playoff; Watson (71), Newton (72)
| Tournament | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | T8 | T33 | 1 | T2 | T2 | ||||
| U.S. Open | T29 | CUT | T5 | T9 | 7 | T7 | T6 | CUT | ||
| The Open Championship | 1 | CUT | 1 | T14 | T26 | |||||
| PGA Championship | T12 | T11 | 9 | T15 | T6 | T2 | T12 |
| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T12 | 1 | T5 | T4 | 2 | T10 | T6 | T7 | T9 | T14 |
| U.S. Open | T3 | T23 | 1 | 2 | T11 | CUT | T24 | 2 | T36 | T46 |
| The Open Championship | 1 | T23 | 1 | 1 | T2 | T47 | T35 | 7 | T28 | 4 |
| PGA Championship | T10 | CUT | T9 | T47 | T39 | T6 | T16 | T14 | T31 | T9 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T7 | T3 | T48 | T45 | 13 | T14 | CUT | 4 | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | CUT | T16 | CUT | T5 | T6 | T56 | T13 | 64 | CUT | T57 |
| The Open Championship | CUT | T26 | CUT | CUT | T11 | T31 | T10 | CUT | CUT | |
| PGA Championship | T19 | CUT | T62 | 5 | T9 | T58 | T17 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | CUT | CUT | T40 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | T27 | T28 | ||||||||
| The Open Championship | T55 | CUT | CUT | T18 | T41 | T48 | CUT | 2 | ||
| PGA Championship | T9 | T66 | T48 | CUT |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T18 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| U.S. Open | T29 | ||||||
| The Open Championship | CUT | T22 | T77 | CUT | T51 | CUT | |
| PGA Championship | CUT | CUT |
CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1976 Open Championship)
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 20 | 43 | 24 |
| U.S. Open | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 31 | 25 |
| The Open Championship | 5 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 38 | 26 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 33 | 25 |
| Totals | 8 | 8 | 2 | 25 | 46 | 69 | 145 | 100 |
| Tournament | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Players Championship | CUT | T8 | T9 | T5 | CUT | 2 | T3 | CUT | T6 | T19 | T8 | T55 | T58 | CUT | CUT | T11 |
| Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Players Championship | T36 | T20 | T2 | 10 | T14 | T29 | T33 | T53 | T35 | T62 |
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
| Tournament | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Match Play | R64 |
| Championship | |
| Invitational |
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
| Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Senior PGA Championship | Tied for lead | −14 (72-69-66-67=274) | 1 stroke | Jim Thorpe |
| 2003 | The Senior Open Championship | 3 shot deficit | −17 (66-67-66-64=263) | Playoff1 | Carl Mason |
| 2003 | JELD-WEN Tradition | 1 shot deficit | −15 (68-62-73-70=273) | 1 stroke | Jim Ahern,Tom Kite,Gil Morgan |
| 2005 | The Senior Open Championship(2) | 1 shot lead | −4 (75-71-64-70=280) | Playoff2 | Des Smyth |
| 2007 | The Senior Open Championship(3) | 1 shot deficit | E (70-71-70-73=284) | 1 stroke | Stewart Ginn,Mark O'Meara |
| 2011 | Senior PGA Championship(2) | 1 shot deficit | −10 (70-70-68-70=278) | Playoff3 | David Eger |
1Defeated Mason in a playoff with par at the second extra hole.
2Defeated Smyth in a playoff with par at the third extra hole.
3Defeated Eger in a playoff with birdie at the first extra hole.
Results not in chronological order before 2017.
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition | 2 | 5 | 1 | T55 | T9 | T14 | T6 | T3 | T5 | |
| Senior PGA Championship | T17 | 1 | T18 | T17 | T4 | T27 | T23 | T52 | T16 | 4 |
| U.S. Senior Open | T10 | T16 | 2 | 2 | T25 | T5 | 2 | 4 | T23 | T43 |
| Senior Players Championship | T18 | T8 | T2 | T3 | T17 | 2 | 2 | |||
| The Senior Open Championship | 1 | T22 | 1 | T23 | 1 | T5 | T8 | |||
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Tradition | T15 | T32 | T6 | T13 | ||||||
| Senior PGA Championship | T18 | 1 | T28 | 2 | CUT | |||||
| U.S. Senior Open | 5 | T22 | T23 | T7 | T54 | T40 | T17 | |||
| Senior Players Championship | 66 | T28 | T20 | T27 | T25 | |||||
| The Senior Open Championship | T24 | T3 | T10 | T36 | T10 | T15 | T27 | T23 | T21 | T64 |
Note: The Senior British Open was not a Champions Tour major until 2003.
CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Professional
Watson is a member of theAmerican Society of Golf Course Architects and has designed golf courses through his Tom Watson Design company inJohnson County, Kansas.[48]
Tom Watson in theRyder Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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