PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Tom Watson fought back tears Sunday as he walked up the 18th fairway at Pebble Beach Golf Links for what in all likelihood was his final hole at the U.S. Open.
Watson, the winner here in 1982 and the only player to compete in all five U.S. Opens contested at Pebble Beach, wound up his 31st Open with a 5-over-par 76 and a 72-hole score of 11-over 295.
“The crowd was just wonderful. They gave me nice ovations at every hole,” Watson said. “There’s a lot of sadness today. It’s based on a lot of great memories that I’ve had here. It may very well be the last time I play Pebble in a championship of this caliber.”
The tears affected him on the 18th hole. He rammed a 2-foot birdie putt 4 feet past, and the comebacker did a 360 around the hole before dropping.
“I drew a blank on that putt,” Watson said. “I guess I just closed my eyes and hoped.”
Watson will return next month at St. Andrews to the British Open, a championship he has won five times. He finished second in the tournament last year.
Double eagle sighted.
Shaun Micheel, who held a share of the lead after the first round, recorded a double-eagle 2 on No. 6 — just the second double eagle in the history of the U.S. Open.
Micheel, the 2003 PGA champion, holed out a 3-iron from 239 yards on the uphill par-5. He closed with a 72 for a 293 total.
“I heard people kind of moaning and groaning, and then I hear this roar and it was just the greatest feeling ever. The only disappointment I have is that I didn’t see it go in,” he said.
Preeo struggles again.
Jason Preeo, a golf instructor at Meta- Golf Learning Center in Englewood, shot a 13-over 84 in the final round and finished at 27-over 311. He tied for 82nd (last) among those making the cut.
Amateur show.
The only two amateurs remaining for the final two rounds, college players Scott Langley of Illinois and Russell Henley of Georgia, gave excellent showings and tied for low honors.
Langley, the NCAA champion, fired a 71 to finish at 8-over 292.
Henley, finishing almost two hours later, matched that final total with a 73.
Bye-bye, birdie.
Jim Herman approached the 18th tee and pondered his chances for the lowest round at this year’s U.S. Open.
So Herman pulled out his driver and decided to go for it. Why not? Anything to forget that awful 10-over 81 he shot Saturday.
Herman needed a birdie on No. 18 to finish at 65. The plan quickly went south — well, west, really. His tee shot hooked left toward the ocean, and it sailed over the concrete sea wall to the rocks below. Herman hurried down to find his ball. He found several, none of them his own.
He returned to the tee with a 3 and by the time he finally finished, he had a double bogey and a 3-under 68. He finished 14-over 298.
New top-10 rule.
The USGA changed the rules for the 2010 Open, making just the top-10 finishers and ties exempt for next year’s championship at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
Denver Post staff and wire services
