Watson turns the clock back 27 years to win again at Turnberry

Tom Watson revived memories of his famous Duel in the Sun when he closed with a six-under-par 64 and then defeated England's Carl Mason on the second hole of a sudden-death play-off at the Senior British Open at Tunberry.

The 53-year-old Watson, who defeated Jack Nicklaus during that duel at the 1977 Open on the same course, seemed destined to have to settle for second place when he bogeyed the 72nd hole to finish on a 17-under-par 263.

But against the odds he got a second chance when Mason took six on the same hole and Watson grasped the opportunity with both hands.

Mason, who had only three bogeys through three rounds, double-bogeyed the 72nd hole to fall back to 17-under. Mason finished with a final-round, three-under 67.

Both men went on to card par fours on the first extra hole before Watson won the £157,800 first prize with a regulation four on the second extra hole.

Watson's win means that he has now won two Senior Majors to add to the five Opens, two Masters and one US Open he won in the 1970s and 1980s.

It also means that he has now won five Champions Tour titles, as well as 39 on the US PGGA Tour.

"I consider it a great honour to win this Championship, particularly at Turnberry where Jack and I fought out that great battle all that time ago," he said.

"To be honest, I thought I had lost it. Carl played so great all week, I thought he would finish the job. But he didn't. That's golf, I suppose. It has happened to us all at one time or another."

Mason's consolation was a second place cheque for £105,800 that takes his earnings from three Seniors Tour starts to £142,062, allowing him to jump to first place on the European Seniors Tour Order of Merit.

"I don't know what to say. I'm gutted," he said.

"I'm proud of the way I played but to get that close and then miss out is extremely disppointing, to say least."

England's Denis Durnian closed with a fine two-under-par 68 to share eighth place with David Eger. Ireland's Des Smyth moved up to 13th place after a scintillating 66 and England's Bob Cameron was 14th after a closing 71 in the company of Jack Nicklaus and Fuzzy Zoeller.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page