Tom Watson (golfer) facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Tom Watson
Watson after winning the 1982 U.S. Open
Personal information
Full name	Thomas Sturges Watson
Born	(1949-09-04) September 4, 1949 (age 75) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in
Weight	175 lb
Residence	Overland Park, Kansas, U.S.
Spouse	Linda Rubin (m. 1972; div. 1997) Hilary Watson (m. 1999; died 2019) LeslieAnne Wade (m. 2022; separated 2022) Dorothy Cohen (m. 2024)
Children	5
Career
College	Stanford University
Turned professional	1971
Former tour(s)	PGA Tour European Tour PGA Tour Champions European Seniors Tour
Professional wins	70
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour	39 (Tied-10th all-time)
European Tour	8
Japan Golf Tour	4
Asian Tour	1
PGA Tour of Australasia	1
Champions Tour	14
Other	11
Best results in Major Championships (Wins: 8)
The Masters Tournament	Won: 1977, 1981
U.S. Open	Won: 1982
The Open Championship	Won: 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983
PGA Championship	T2: 1978
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame	1988
PGA Tour money list winner	1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984
PGA Player of the Year	1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984
Vardon Trophy	1977, 1978, 1979
Bob Jones Award	1987
Old Tom Morris Award	1992
Payne Stewart Award	2003
Champions Tour Charles Schwab Cup winner	2003, 2005
Champions Tour money list winner	2003
Champions Tour Player of the Year	2003
Champions Tour Byron Nelson Award	2003

Thomas Sturges Watson (born September 4, 1949) is a famous American professional golfer. In the 1970s and 1980s, Tom Watson was one of the best golfers in the world. He won eight major championships and was the top earner on the PGA Tour five times. From 1978 to 1982, he was ranked the number one player globally.

Watson is also known for playing golf well for a very long time. When he was almost 60 years old, he nearly won The Open Championship in 2009. He led for much of the tournament but lost in a playoff. This showed how amazing he was, even later in his career.

Many of Watson's big wins came when he was competing against Jack Nicklaus. Their friendly rivalry made golf even more exciting for fans.

Early Life and Amateur Golf

Tom Watson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His father, Ray, first taught him how to play golf. Stan Thirsk was his early coach at the Kansas City Country Club. Watson first became known for his golf skills while playing for his high school team. He attended The Pembroke-Country Day School in Kansas City.

College and Amateur Wins

Watson was a great amateur golfer. He won the Missouri State Amateur championship four times: in 1967, 1968, 1970, and 1971. He went to Stanford University and played on both the golf and table tennis teams. He earned a degree in psychology in 1971.

Becoming a Professional Golfer

Watson became a professional golfer in 1971. He hired Bruce Edwards as his caddie in 1973. They worked together for many years and became very close friends.

First Big Wins

In 1974, Watson almost won his first major championship at the U.S. Open. He had the lead after three rounds but didn't play well on the final day. After this, a famous retired golfer named Byron Nelson offered to help him. Nelson and Watson became close friends and Nelson helped Watson improve his game a lot.

Just two weeks after his U.S. Open disappointment, Watson won his first PGA Tour title at the Western Open. With Nelson's help, Watson's game got much better. He won his first major, The Open Championship, in 1975. He won in a playoff against Jack Newton after making a long putt on the last hole. Watson was one of only four players since World War II to win The Open Championship on their first try.

Dominating the 1970s and 1980s

Watson won his second major in 1977 at the Masters Tournament. He had an exciting battle with Jack Nicklaus. Watson made a 20-foot putt on the 17th hole to take the lead and won the tournament by two strokes.

His win at the 1977 Open Championship in Scotland was truly special. Many people think it was one of the best golf tournaments ever. Watson and Jack Nicklaus were tied after 16 holes on the final day. Watson birdied (got a score of one under par) the 17th hole to take the lead. On the 18th, both players made birdies, and Watson won by one stroke. He set a new record score for the tournament.

In 1978, Watson had five PGA Tour wins. However, he also had a tough loss at the PGA Championship. He had a big lead but lost in a playoff. This was the closest he ever came to winning the PGA Championship, the only major he never won.

Watson continued to win in 1979, with five more PGA Tour victories. He also finished second at the Masters again, losing in a playoff.

The year 1980 was another great one for Watson. He won his third Open Championship by four strokes. He was the top money winner on the PGA Tour for the fourth year in a row, winning six tournaments in the U.S. He was very consistent, finishing in the top 10 sixteen times that year.

In 1981, Watson won his second Masters title. He also had two more Tour victories that year.

U.S. Open and More Open Wins

Watson really wanted to win the U.S. Open. In 1982, at Pebble Beach, he finally did. He had another thrilling duel with Jack Nicklaus. On the 17th hole, Watson hit his shot into the rough. He had a very difficult chip shot, but he amazingly chipped it in for a birdie! This incredible shot helped him win the U.S. Open by two strokes over Nicklaus.

Watson (left) with President Ronald Reagan and Lee Trevino in 1988.

The next month, in July 1982, Watson won his fourth Open Championship. This made him only the third golfer since World War II to win both the U.S. Open and The Open Championship in the same year.

In 1983, Watson won his fifth Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. This was his last of eight major championship wins.

In 1984, Watson finished second at the Masters for the third time. He also won his third Western Open title. He almost won his sixth Open Championship but finished second after a close battle with Seve Ballesteros.

After 1984, Watson didn't win a PGA Tour event for three years. His putting became a challenge, even though his other golf skills were still strong.

Later Career and Senior Tour

In 1987, Watson won the Nabisco Championship, ending his winless streak. He continued to play well, winning the 1996 Memorial Tournament and his last PGA Tour event, the MasterCard Colonial, in 1998, when he was 48 years old.

In 1999, Watson joined the Champions Tour, which is for golfers aged 50 and over. He has won 14 times on this tour, including six major championships for senior players. He won the Senior Open Championship three times (2003, 2005, and 2007).

Watson also had some amazing moments in regular major championships even after turning 50. In the 2003 U.S. Open, at age 53, he led after the first round. His longtime caddie, Bruce Edwards, was with him. Edwards had been diagnosed with a serious illness, and Watson helped raise a lot of money for research into finding a cure.

The 2009 Open Championship

Watson is perhaps most famous in his senior career for his incredible performance at the 2009 Open Championship. At 59 years old, he shot a great score in the first round. He then tied for the lead after the second round and held the lead going into the final round. This made him the oldest player ever to lead a major championship going into the last day.

Watson needed a par (a score of zero over par) on the final hole to win his sixth Open Championship. However, his second shot went over the green, and he missed a short putt. He ended up in a four-hole playoff with Stewart Cink and lost. Watson later said that coming so close to winning at his age "tore his guts out," but he was touched by the support from people around the world.

Watson continued to play in major championships for a few more years. He played his final Masters in 2016 and his final Open Championship in 2015 at St. Andrews, where he made an emotional walk across the famous Swilcan Bridge. In 2018, at 68, he won the Masters Tournament Par-3 contest, becoming the oldest to do so. In July 2019, he played his last competitive event on British soil at the Senior British Open.

Playing Style and Character

Tom Watson was a very complete golfer. Even at 59, he showed how good he still was. He was not a big golfer, but he could hit the ball far and accurately. He played aggressively and was excellent at short shots around the green. In his best years, he was also a very confident putter.

Watson is known for playing well in bad weather, especially in the tough conditions of The Open Championship. He was also famous for his amazing ability to get out of trouble on the course. If a player made a par after being in a difficult spot, other golfers would call it a "Watson par."

Watson is also known for being very honest. He once called a penalty on himself for moving a ball slightly, even though no one else saw it. He also spoke out against fans who were rude to other players.

He has also shared his thoughts on how too much prize money can affect some golfers. He believes that for some players, too much money can make them less focused on being the best golfer they can be.

Personal Life

Tom Watson has been married four times. He first married Linda Rubin in 1972, and they had two children before divorcing in 1997. In 1999, he married Hilary Watson, who sadly passed away in 2019. In 2022, he married Leslie Anne Wade, but they separated later that year. He married Dorothy Cohen in 2024.

Watson was once a member of the Kansas City Country Club. In 1990, he resigned because the club rejected an applicant who was Jewish. Watson's wife at the time and his children were Jewish, and he felt his family wasn't welcome. He believed people should not be judged by their race or faith. The Jewish applicant was later admitted, and Watson rejoined the club.

Watson has also been involved in politics, supporting the Republican Party. He has also donated to the National Rifle Association.

He has lived in Mission Hills, Kansas, and later in Stilwell, Kansas. His house is now part of Overland Park. He also designed the National Golf Club of Kansas City golf course.

Awards and Honors

Tom Watson has received many awards and honors throughout his career:

He was named PGA Player of the Year six times: in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1984.
He won the Vardon Trophy three years in a row (1977, 1978, 1979) for having the lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour.
Watson was the PGA Tour money list winner five times (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984).
In 1987, he received the Bob Jones Award, the highest honor for sportsmanship in golf.
He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.
He is also in the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame.
In 1992, he won the GCSAA Old Tom Morris Award.
Golf Digest ranked him as the 10th greatest golfer of all time in 2000.
On the Champions Tour, he was the money list winner in 2003.
He earned the Payne Stewart Award in 2003.
He was the Champions Tour Player of the Year in 2003.
He also won the Byron Nelson Award in 2003 for the lowest scoring average on the Champions Tour.
Watson won the Champions Tour's Charles Schwab Cup in 2003 and 2005.

Major Championships

Wins (8)

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)

Results Timeline for Majors

Tournament	1970	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

Win Top 10 Did not play CUT = missed the halfway cut (3rd round cut in 1976 Open Championship)
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary of Major Results

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

Most consecutive cuts made – 19 (1985 Open Championship – 1990 Masters)
Longest streak of top-10s – 7 (1982 Masters – 1983 Open Championship)

Senior Major Championships

Wins (6)

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 Timeline for Senior Majors

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.
Win Top 10 Did not play CUT = missed the halfway cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place

Team Appearances

Tom Watson has represented the United States in several team golf events:

Ryder Cup (representing the United States):
- As a player: 1977 (winners), 1981 (winners), 1983 (winners), 1989 (tie)
- As a non-playing captain: 1993 (winners), 2014 (loss)
Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge (representing Senior PGA Tour): 1999 (winners), 2000, 2001

Golf Courses Designed

Tom Watson Parkway at the National Golf Club in Parkville

Tom Watson is also a golf course designer. He has helped create many courses through his company, Tom Watson Design. Some of these include:

Ballybunion Golf Club – County Kerry, Ireland (1995 redesign)
Cassique Golf Course, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
National Golf Club of Kansas City, Parkville, Missouri (Route 45 which passes the course is called the "Tom Watson Parkway")
Independence Course at Reunion Resort & Club, Orlando, Florida
Phoenix Resort, Miyazaki, Japan
The Links at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, California (with Sandy Tatum and Robert Trent Jones, Jr.)
Shadow Glen the Golf Club, Olathe, Kansas (with Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf)
Loch Lloyd Country Club, Village of Loch Lloyd, Missouri (Renovation)
The Conservatory, Hammock Beach resorts, Palm Coast, Florida
Mozingo Lake Golf Course (Junior 9 course), Maryville, Missouri
The Manor Golf & Country Club, Milton, Georgia