Tom Watson turns back the clock

Those individuals who place the occasional wager could have made a considerable profit had they chosen the players whose names were atop the leaderboard after the first round of the 2003 U.S. Open.

Brett Quigley? Jay Don Blake? Justin Leonard?

Had the John Deere Classic somehow slipped in overnight and taken over the Open at Olympia Fields Country Club?

But as the shadows started to lengthen across the suburban Chicago course, the ghosts of glorious Opens past restored a bit of order to the proceedings.

Tom Watson, who beat Jack Nicklaus in 1982 by chipping in from the back of the 17th green at Pebble Beach, made a handful of spectacular shots on the way to a 65 that has him tied for the lead with Quigley.

He eagled the 12th hole (holing out a 6-iron from 171 yards), birdied the 16th, the first, 7th and 8th for a total that equaled his best Open round. His only hiccup came at the 10th, where he made bogey.

The 53-year-old Watson, whose best recent Open finishes were ties for fifth in 1993 and a tie for sixth in 1994 at Oakmont Country Club, showed that trademark Watson smile after his birdie on the seventh.

His long putt from above the hole was online all the way to the hole but stopped just as it started over the edge of the cup. Just as Watson reached the ball, it fell over the edge, sending him into a jump of celebration.

"Will wonders never cease?" said Watson, who is in the field on a special exemption from the USGA. "I relied on a lot of past memories today from this course. I played in the Western Open here 35 years ago when Jack Nicklaus won. I got the low amateur trophy in my first professional tournament. So, it's kind of come full circle for me here ... playing my first professional golf tournament to maybe playing in my last national Open. You never know."

There's also another unknown in Watson's life these days. His long-time caddie, Bruce Edwards, has been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

"It's an insidious disease, one that speeds up the aging process," Watson said. "Bruce has started to deteriorate a little, and it was a very, very special day for Bruce and I out there. I didn't start getting emotional out there today until he did. He kind of shed a tear early in our final nine holes after things started going well and then the last few holes, there were quite a few tears shed by both of us. It was the kind of memory that, even if I shoot 90 tomorrow, I don't care."