Age of enlightenment

20th July 2009

Yesterday whilst one half of the country chewed nails glued to SKY or the radio about goings on at cricket HQ, the rest watched as a 59 year old serenely tamed the treacherous greens and fairways of Golf's HQ at the infamous Turnberry links course.

The grand old master came within a sip of a drinking heartily from the OPEN's claret jug and much in the same way no-one remembers who won in '99  when Jean Van de Velde's watery antics stole the show, this Open will only be remembered because of the longevity of this dignified, modest American southerner (not a phrase oft written!).

However, is 59 really that old? On Saturday, at precisely the moment the venerable Watson was sinking another impossible putt on the 16th, four 55+ year olds were summiting Kilimanjaro with Exodus, the adventure travel experts. Three more ladies a short green shy of 60 also celebrated on top of Stok Kangri in Ladakh, 300 club lengths higher. An old school reunion from 1966 met up and tamed the Lower Zambezi, average age 61 and to cap it off yesterday 14 trekkers had sunrise at the sun gate above Macchu Picchu in Peru before enjoying the lost city itself - three were Tom Watson's age. These individuals think little of their efforts, 'a stroll in the park' is how one Scottish walker described her Ladakh efforts. It may actually be a bit harder than that with training and discipline required, but for those who think they are too old, take a look at Tom yesterday and then think 'am I old enough yet ?'.