Doug Ferguson

Only when it looked easy did Stewart Cink face his toughest challenge.

Even though he came within an 8-foot putt of winning the British Open, Tom Watson didnt sound terribly interested Tuesday in playing the PGA Championship next month in Minnesota.

Tom Watson was among the British Open champions whom the R&A consulted when it decided the game was getting younger and it was time to lower the age limit to 60 for winners of golfs oldest championship.

Tom Watson squandered a chance to become golfs oldest major champion. The 59-year-old missed an 8-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the British Open, then lost a four-hole playoff to Stewart Cink.

Tom Watson arrived at Turnberry knowing that his time at the British Open was running out. A recent change in the criteria meant former champions could no longer compete when they were older than 60.

Tom Watson still leads the British Open with one round to go in his quest to become the oldest major champion in golf history.

Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus starred in the famous Duel in the Sun, one of the most compelling final rounds in major championship history. Thirty-two years later, one of them had a chance to win another British Open at Turnberry at age 59. The other was playing tennis.

Past champions gather at St. Andrews every time the British Open returns to the home of golf. Just his luck, the first time Mark Calcavecchia was invited to the party, he was holding the Claret Jug.

The attendance for the second round of the British Open was estimated at 28,000 on Friday. Apparently, most of them got lost on their way to the grandstands lining the 18th green.

Tiger Woods opened with a 1-over 71 Thursday at Turnberry, his worst opening round at the British Open since '03.