Tom Watson's 1998 farewell to the PGA Tour doesn't include the Masters Tournament.
Watson is saying goodbye to many PGA Tour stops this year as he prepares to shift his attention to the Senior PGA Tour. Watson, a winner of 34 PGA Tour events and two Masters titles, turns 50 on Sept. 4. He plans to play at least 20 senior events per season, starting near the end of this year when he hits the big five-oh.
The Masters is a non-PGA Tour co-sponsored event. That means that while the prize money counts on the PGA Tour money list, it is not run by the PGA Tour. The Augusta National Golf Club runs it. As a former Masters champion, Watson has a lifetime invitation to the Masters and he plans to use it.
At many of the PGA Tour stops, however, this will be Watson's final hurrah.
``It will be the last time I play quite a few because I plan on playing a full schedule on the senior tour,'' Watson said. ``As much as I like to play on the PGA Tour, it's (the senior tour) going to limit the number of tournaments I play out here.''
``Everything comes to an end and I'm sure he's seeing a lot of these courses for the last time,'' said Bruce Edwards, Watson's longtime caddie.
``I haven't felt very nostalgic. People say, `Isn't this going to be your last time here?' It probably is. I feel a little bit sad I won't be playing the places I played before,'' Watson said.
Watson is still competitive on the PGA Tour. Last year, at age 48, he became the oldest player to win the Colonial. In just 15 starts in 1998, Watson won nearly $1 million and finished 29th on the money list.
``I'm still out here trying my best to beat these kids,'' Watson said. ``I still have the same attitude.''
``When you get to his age, it's tough trying to beat these 22-year-olds whose nerves are a little bit better than his,'' said Edwards, who will join his boss on the senior tour.
Edwards predicts Watson will do ``very well'' on the senior tour. ``Once he gets that feeling of winning again consistently like he did 25 years ago, he'll be off and running. I'm looking at the end of this season and next year as being similar to 1977, when he started to dominate this tour.''
From 1977 to 1982, Watson won 26 PGA Tour events, an average of more than four wins a year.
Watson can't wait to join the senior tour, and not just because he is expected to challenge senior kingpins Hale Irwin and Gil Morgan.
``I'm looking forward to playing a lot of new places,'' Watson said. ``And I want to see a lot of old buddies of mine out there.''
``He's always been one of the types of players who played real well at new venues,'' Edwards said. ``That's another thing I think he's got going for him. After 25 years of being out here, it gets a little monotonous and mundane playing the same golf courses. You know them real well.''
Watson says the Masters is an elite tournament because of three main factors -- the unpresumptuous attitude co-founder Bobby Jones had about the tournament at its inception; the great champions who have won the event; and the fact it's played on the same course every year.
``All that together makes it a special tournament in not only the golfers' eyes but also the public's eyes,'' Watson said.
Chip shots: Tom Watson
Watson's 23-year, 11-month stretch between his first and last PGA Tour victories is third behind Ray Floyd (28-11) and Sam Snead (28-8).
Watson's farewell tour grinds on
