British Open: Ranking the 25 most dominant performances of all time
By Bill Felber
6. Tom Watson, 1980, -3.26
Watson was a two-time British Open champion, having won in 1975 and famously defeating Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977. What he had not previously done was run away with the event. In 1980, that’s exactly what he did.
A compelling weekend performance – in the first British Open scheduled to end on a Sunday — powered Watson, who actually trailed Lee Trevino by three strokes after 36 holes.
On Saturday, the American went out in 34 and fired a back nine 30 for a 64 that gave him a four-stroke lead. It even over-shadowed a 63 by Japanese star Isao Aoki, a Muirfield record.
There was no letup Sunday. Birdieing five of the six holes between seven and 12, he secured a four-stroke victory over Lee Trevino. Ben Crenshaw finished third, six back.
“Five birdies in six holes; that was the tournament right there,” Watson said after his round.
It was his sixth victory of the season and made him only the fourth American to win three Opens. The first three were Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus.
But it did not fulfill Watson, who admitted afterward that he remained driven by yet-unaccomplished deeds. “My ambition now is to win the United States Open and the PGA,” he told reporters.
He never did get the PGA. But at Pebble Beach in June of 1982, he defeated Nicklaus again to claim the U.S. Open.