Please no more 50+ year olds leading the majors
Excruciating. Devastating. Totally gutted. Two years in a row, a 50 plus year old golfer has led the British Open on the final day. Last year it was Greg Norman. This year, Tom Watson. Today, Watson managed to lead on the very last hole and had a chance to win it outright if he could only sink an 8 footer for par. But not to be.
Both Norman and Watson had some magical moments. It was great to see them compete so valiantly against 20, 30, and 40 year olds. And this year’s low amateur was only 16! But, realistically, the odds are so stacked against someone in the 50s winning a major, especially if Tiger Woods is playing well.
To put us out of our misery, we are asking that all 50+ year olds stop contending at the majors. You can play the John Deere Classic, but don’t contend at the majors.
So why are we complaining? We’re not really. It’s just so painful to watch Norman and now Watson get so close to winning another major, only to have it evaporate into the British air. Like a Greek tragedy, the golfing gods seem to be toying with us allowing us to think this year the oldest person to win a major will happen. For probably 85% or more of the Open, Tom Watson was leading the tournament. The fact that he had a chance to win it all with an 8 footer on the last hole turned out to be a cruel ending fitting a Greek tragedy: the golfing gods gave Watson the one Achilles heel that plagued Watson for so many years. And, today, it undid him yet again.
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