Watson won back to back majors for the first time in 1982 when lifting his
first US Open followed by his fourth Open as he continued to dominate the
golfing scene. The US Open saw another battle royal with Jack Nicklaus and
Tom held the Indian sign over his great rival once again as he chipped in at
the 17th and went onto clinch a two stroke victory at six under par. In the
Open at Troon he shot 69,71,74 & 70 to finish at four under and won by
one shot from England's Peter Oosterhuis and Zimbabwean Nick Price.
The following year saw Tom defending his Open Championship at Royal Birkdale
and he held off the challenge of Andy Bean and Hale Irwin to land his fifth
Open title. His rounds of 67,68,70 & 70 took him to nine under par and just
one short of Harry Vardon's all-time record of six Open Championships.
That year also produced a second place finish behind Larry Nelson in the
US Open and a tie for fourth in the Masters. In the 1983 Ryder Cup Watson
was,thankfully for the Americans,in fine form. He won three points out of four
in the first two days and then beat Bernard Gallacher 2&1 in the singles as the
United States sneaked a 14 1/2-13 1/2 victory. The Open at St. Andrews in 1984
gave Tom the chance to equal Vardon's record and also the opportunity to win
his third consecutive Open crown. He came so close to achieving that goal but
ultimately had to settle for a tie for second place with Bernhard Langer behind
Seve Ballesteros. Watson's total of 10 under par included a last round 73 and
left him two shots adrift of the Spaniard. Tom Watson has never won a major
since and many experts trace that back to this agonising St. Andrews defeat.
(David Scranage)