Watson to play at St Andrews

Tom Watson has this week confirmed that he will be in St Andrews in July for the 150th staging of The Open Championship. Last year at Turnberry he came so close to becoming the oldest ever winner of The Claret Jug, but eventually lost in a play-off to fellow American Stewart Cink.

Watson is known as one of the all-time great wind and links players. He has won a staggering five Opens (four in Scotland), and almost made it 6 down on the Ayrshire coast last year. He has never won at St Andrews, and believes that his chances are a little slimer now that many of the holes on The Old Course have been lengthened. The 4th worries him in particular, because if it plays into the wind, he may not be able to reach the wide part of the fairway off the back tee. But if his game clicks into gear, he is still a wonderful ball-striker, and it would be great to see him involved come the back nine on Sunday.

One thing is for sure, there would be no more popular a champion at St Andrews than Tom Watson.