Sadness Reigns At GolfBlogger World Headquarters

There is a great deal of sadness this evening at GolfBlogger World Headquarters. I’ve never cheered for a player as much as I cheered for Tom Watson this morning and afternoon. And to think that he came just a par putt from becoming the biggest golf story of all time.

But alas, it wasn’t to be. And as sad as it makes me, I can’t imagine how Tom Watson feels. His comments after the round were heart wrenching:

“It would have been a hell of a story, wouldn’t it? It wasn’t to be. It tears at your gut, as it always has torn at my gut. It’s not easy to take.

It was an almost. The dream almost came true.

Yes it did.

 

 

5 thoughts on “Sadness Reigns At GolfBlogger World Headquarters”

  1. I didn’t get up to see Watsons first few holes.  By the time I started watching, Watson was at -2 with one of the many leaders of the day at -4.  Within minutes it was a tie again.  back and forth, back and forth.  But Tom didn’t seem to make any major mistakes – just kept his cool in there.

    On 18 tee box, it looked like his nerves were getting a little bit of him.  But then he made a good drive out there, and he hadn’t bogeyed there all week- I figured he would just get it on the green and worry about distance later.  When it was the 10 footer, things just felt awful.  You could see something in him as the ball left the putter, and I somehow knew it wasn’t to be then. 

    I went out and worked in the yard, because I couldn’t take any more myself.  When I came in and saw the last hole of the playoff, I just felt awful. 

    What I couldn’t believe though is that after all the talk yesterday and last night – that the commentators just were whisper quiet about a Watson victory just about until 17 or so.  It was almost like they didn’t want to jynx it. 

    Cink was one cool cat though.  Talk about pressure.  I had thought that they better have extra security on the way to #5 because someone might try and Nancy Kerrigan him.  His nerves must have been tearing him up too- everyone likes Watson- as many folks would love to see Cink win – in this case, he probably had less than twelve people in the world still pulling for him.  Never winning a major, he had to want it so bad to, but not that way.  But he kept his nerves in check and got it done.  The sad thing for him is that it won’t be remembered for his win, but for Tom Watson.

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  2. I felt the pain also and seen in his eyes when the camera was on him the pain he was in.
    I was also taken back with the lack of class Stewart Cink has.
    Golf shows honesty and sportmanship but little respect.
    I am not trying to deni Mr. Cink’s moment of glory but,having a statesman in golf like Mr. Waston play like he did and this was a special time in golf, it would have show some class from Mr.Cink to walk down the fairway of 18 side by side, not in front of him.

    It would have shown class and respect at this special moment for the winner and loser,young and old.

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  3. It was one great show and I certainly was pulling for Watson. But I felt it was all over when he had that putt for the win. Sure, he had knocked in longer putts, but it seemed asking for too much.

    And then I was more sure that it was over when it went to a playoff. As someone asked on a thread at sportsline.com, when was the last time a golfer left a putt to win short—at a major championship no less—and won in the playoff?

    Actually, that would be an interesting question. What’s the win/loss ratio of guys, leading on the 72nd tee, dropping into a playoff and then winning it all?

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  4. I doubt that Cink meant it as an insult.  I am thinking that he was in a little bit of stunned disbelief at his position in the tournament after so long—and he was probably trying as hard as he could to keep his mind on his tasks at hand.

    He may have even thought of walking with Watson, but been concerned of how that would look.  Watson had his own stage, which Cink was horning in on.

    And even in another way of thinking about it – Watson played the worst of his 76 holes in those last four, making the most mistakes.  I don’t know about you, but I usually like to give my playing partners some space as they could be getting agitated in the moment, and I don’t want my presence to add to that.

    This does stand in contrast to Garcia’s “Come on, Old Man” moment which Watson so appreciated on Friday, but you could hardly blame for Cink not wanting to try and help out Watson in the moment.

    BTW- I am still sick over it!

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  5. The way he makes a shot, and quickly accepts the results and prepares for the next…no questioning, no crying or throwing clubs…just a purposeful stride to the next shot. Gee, I am gonna try hard today to imitate that.

    His patience, his gracious smile, courteous, gentlemanly manner was on display and was when he was in my area last year. Sadly, he lost. But we are all the better for what he showed us last week. He is a competitor, and I am sure he will, as he does on the course, pick himself up, dust himself off, and say “Watch this”!!!

    But, I sooo wanted him to par that 72nd hole…

    Reply

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