8 Things Tom Watson thinks: on his tip to Rory, Scottie's greatness and more
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SOUTHPORT, England -- Tom Watson is held in high regard wherever he goes as one of the greatest golfers of all-time, but the American is beloved in the United Kingdom like few other places. Take for instance this classic tale of the time he was on his way to winning a fifth and final Claret Jug in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 1983. Watson was enjoying eating fish and chips outside a restaurant in this cute, seaside town when a fire truck screeched to a halt and startled him. The fireman who came rushing into the restaurant had spotted Watson. He asked for an autograph.
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Thirty-three years later, Watson, a Rolex testimonee, returned to Birkdale this week and relived that magical victory in all its glory for Golfweek during an intimate gathering of media in the club's iconic art-deco clubhouse. But he also dished on a variety of topics, which are too good not to share too, so, check them out below.
All for banning cell phones at the other majors like at the Masters
TW: You can’t believe the attitudes of the crowds at Augusta. You can see joy all over the place. They’re actually talking to each other, they’re conversing with each other in a group setting. I was at a restaurant in Geneva this week and I look down at a table and all four people are on their cell phones, not speaking with each other at all. You lose the experience of humanity. It’s a necessary evil, I’m guilty of it, but I really like the atmosphere at Augusta because of no cell phones.
His tip to Rory McIlroy that helped him win the 2026 Masters
TW: I guess I told Rory how to play the (par-3) 12th at Augusta once during a practice round and he credited me for it in his winner's press conference this year. The tip isn’t a secret. I learned that not directly from Ben Hogan but from how Ben Hogan played golf. He’d stand up on the tee, water in front, sliver of a green and you can just see Hogan (pantomimes taking a puff of a cigarette with his two fingers on his right hand pinched together) and he’d look at the flag. He’s waiting for the flags to go in the same direction. And only then he picks his club and he hits quickly because it can change quickly. That’s what you do. More tournaments have been lost at that hole. When Tiger won (in 2019), all three of the guys he was tied with all made doubles. He had to finish the deal but that hole cost three players the championship right in that one tournament. J.C. Snead had the lead one year and he hits a 7-iron and he said I hit that thing as solid as I could and the ball landed in the water short of the green. He didn’t mis-hit. That’s what the wind can do to you.
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You think it's hot this year? Let me tell you about 1976!
TW: In ’76, it was 96 degrees. We rented a house and the windows didn’t open. At Turnberry in ’77, we had a room at the top and the window did open but it opened that much (holds fingers close together). That room was 90 degrees. What we did is we filled the bath tub full of water. If we got too hot we‘d soak in there and put the towels on the bed and lay naked.
After that we bought fans at the hardware store. The first time we got back to the house and opened it up there was no plug at the end of the wire. Had to go to an electrician to install the plug. We learned that and subsequently, the first thing we did when we arrived at an Open site was go by fans. We were spoiled Americans.
Aspiring to own a Rolex
TW: I went to Geneva (last week) with the singular purpose of seeing how Rolex operates and the craftsmanship involved in making a watch. It’s a 64th of an inch and he’s got his tweezers and he’s turning it ever so slightly. Then they bring you into the room with the atomic clock they built.
I came out on the Tour in 1971 and played with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer two years later. I noticed the gold President model Rolex on Jack's wrist. It looked like jewelry to me. I thought to myself, “If I ever get rich enough, I'm gonna buy one of those." And fortunately, I did.
Favorite course in the Open rota
TW: It used to be Muirfield but now it’s Turnberry. Donald Trump bought it and he had Martin Ebert re-design it. It’s absolutely sensational. They re-routed some holes for better ocean views and most importantly they re-did the bunkers. They also took the first hole that was a nothing hole and made it a 430-yard par-4, dogleg right. They moved the tee at No. 8, which always needed to be moved. They are thinking to make some changes to No. 7. I think they are going to re-direct the hole down the valley and move the green almost down to the water and make it a par 5.
Scottie Scheffler's run of greatness
TW: It’s what the game continues to be all about. You’re always going to have someone make a run and be there. The problem is how long will it last at the top of the mountain. For me, it was about a seven-year period where I was there, right at the top. Arnold Palmer, same way. Jack and Tiger were there many more years. That determines the greatest of champions, the length you can stay at the top.
PGA Tour changes
TW: I don’t know how the Tour is going to change with the Challenge division and Championship division. The key element is how are we going to relegate and how are we going to promote? That’s the key. If it is going to remain as close to a meritocracy as it needs to be, they need to be very careful how they relegate and promote the players from two different tours. The other thing I don’t know about is status. What kind of status do you get and what kind of levels of status qualify you for the championship tour? Is it just from the previous year’s points list? Is that it? Do you get status for being a major winner or does that status go away? That’s a question that needs to be asked.
Favorite swings and current players to watch
TW: The best two swings these days are Adam Scott and Ludvig Aberg. Chris Gotterup…I like his game. Can he understand don’t hit it in the bunkers? That’s the key.
Editor's Note: This conversation has been edited for clarity. Rolex is a Patron of The Open and has been the Official Timekeeper of The Open and The R&A since 1981.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 8 Things Tom Watson thinks: on his tip to Rory, Scottie's greatness and more