ABSTRACT
One of the most remarkable near misses in the world of sports occurred in 2009, when golfer Tom Watson, at age 59, had an eight-foot putt on the 72nd hole to win the British Open. Watson missed the putt, and then subsequently lost the three-hole playoff. Watson’s remarkable performance was one for the ages, and the aged, for he was at the time more than a decade older than Tom Morris – who is the oldest winner of what is arguably the world’s most prestigious golf tournament (R&A championships limited). “Old” Tom Morris won the 1867 British Open at age 46, at a time when the level of competition was far inferior to what it is today.
