Duel in the Sun……..Take 2

Ok so it’s not very sunny and there’s no Jack Nicklaus to contend with but today in the last round of the Open Championship we have another “Duel in the Sun”

Today the GREAT Tom Watson tackles the last round of the Open at Turnberry where back in 1977 he battled Nicklaus in one of the most talked about heavyweight golf battles ever to be seen.

In went a 30-footer on the 16th, the green where he had holed from 60 feet the previous day, and a kindly bounce at the par five next set up a two-putt birdie.With no Tiger prowling the fairways and the reigning champ out of contention what a last day is still in store for us at the Open Championship.

One year on after another fifty something hero, Greg Norman led by two at Birkdale, 59-year-old Tom Watson is just one round away from Golfing immortality at Turnberry.

Watson, already a five-time champion of the Claret Jug was born when Clement Attlee was Prime Minister and Harry S Truman President.

So now, back at the scene of his 1977 “Duel in the Sun” victory over Jack Nicklaus, Watson now takes to the fairways for Take 2.

I do not know how he is atop the leaderboard but this is a man, a proven exponent of links golf who is showing that power alone cannot take the place for guile and pure grit and determination.

Watson who is trying to equal Harry Vardon’s six Claret Jugs against a field that includes someone 43 years younger than him, signed for a 71 yesterday and on four under par leads by one.

We all wish him the very best and it will be great for golf if he can pull this one off.

Also when you are watching today, spare a thought for Ross Fisher who is on the other end of history chasing his first major title whic may yet come on the day his wife Jo gives birth to their first child.

She was due earlier this week and he will have to pull out if she goes into labour.

All in all an absolutely cracking finale and i think all we can say is “Thanks Tom”

All the best

Richard

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