Tom Watson stole the show as the second round of the British Open got under way on Friday, sinking a hole-in-one at the 169-yard, par-three sixth, the 15th ace of his career. The 61-year-old American legend, who came within one putt of winning the year’s third Major at Turnberry two years ago, stood on the sixth tee at even for the round after five straight pars.
His four-iron shot hit the centre of the green and with one hop disappeared into the cup to roars of approval from the gallery. That left him at even par for the tournament after his 72 on Thursday. It was the second hole-in-one of the tournament following that of American Dustin Johnson at the 16th in Thursday’s opening round and the seventh in the last decade.
Watson, however, is not the oldest player to record a hole-in-one in the Open as Gene Sarazen was 71 when he aced the famous Postage Stamp at Troon in 1973. “It was ironic, this morning I was watching Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie on the show discussing The Open venues, and what do they show? They show Gene Sarazen on the Postage Stamp making his hole in one with a five-iron.
“He hit a heck of a shot in there, beautiful swing right there, dropped it under, hit that five-iron, a little draw in there, and maybe that’s what inspired me today; I don’t know. “That’s the second one I’ve had in a Major championship. I had one at the US Open in 1980 at Baltusrol on the fourth hole in the first round. Maybe it was bookends.”
