Cink sinks Watson fairytale
WILY Tom Watson tried cheering up the downbeat Turnberry crowds after his Open heartache last night, by reminding them: “This ain’t a funeral you know.”
The 59-year-old missed the chance to clinch a fairytale sixth Open title after missing an agonising six-foot putt on the final green. Clearly drained, he then wilted to a six-shot defeat to fellow American Stewart Cink in an anti-climatic play-off.
But with the Turnberry crowd almost reduced to silence by Watson’s painful near-miss, Old Tom still managed a smile to lighten the mood.
“It would have been a hell of a story, wouldn’t it?,” said Watson, who won the Open on the same Turnberry links 32 years ago. “It tears out your gut like it’s always torn out my gut. It’s not easy to take. I put myself in position to win and didn’t do it.
“I hit a lousy putt and the play-off was one bad shot after another. Stewart did what he had to do and I didn’t give him much competition.
“But what I take from this week is a lot of warmth – the crowds were just wonderful to me all week – and a lot of spirituality. And it was good fun.”
Champion Cink, meanwhile, spoke of his “surreal experience” after beating one of his boyhood heroes to claim a first major title. “Extraordinary just tips the iceberg,” said Cink after his final round 69 saw him level with Watson on two-under-par. “Playing against Tom Watson, this stuff just does not happen. I grew up watching him – he has turned back the clock and I feel so happy just being part of it.
“I’ve just felt very calm all week. I played some links golf in Ireland last week and that was very good relaxation and preparation. I also found something in my swing.”
On receiving the Claret Jug, Cink, 36, added: “I’m a little intimidated by this piece of hardware. There are a lot of emotions running through my mind and my heart and I’m just proud to be here with this.”
Hopes of a British winner ran high throughout a rollercoaster final round, but despite three Englishman leading the charge, it turned into yet another disappointment.
Ross Fisher’s assault all but ended with a quadruple-bogey eight on the treacherous fifth when two-shots clear, while Chris Wood, who won the silver medal as leading amateur 12 months ago, brought himself into contention with a best-of-the-day 67, only for his bogey at the last to bring him one shot short.
But the most sustained challenge, however, came from Lee Westwood, who led going into the final four holes, only to bogey three of them, including a three-putt at the last which saw him miss out on the play-off. “I’ve gone from frustration to sickness now,” said Westwood, who also narrowly missed out at last year’s US Open. “I had a great chance.”