Tom Watson says his final Masters will be in 2016
Tom Watson said 2016 will be his final appearance playing at the Masters.
Watson, 65, said Wednesday that he no longer hits the ball far enough to be competitive at Augusta, where he has not made the cut since 2010. He made the announcement during a press conference at the British Open, where he is expected to compete for the final time this week.
"The golf course is too big for me, and with my declining skills and length, I won‘t be playing that," Watson said of the Masters. "The toolbox is kind of half-empty, with the tools I used to be able to play good golf. Those tools are missing right now, or pretty rusty … rusty like me."
Watson has won the Masters twice and the British Open five times. He could earn a spot in the British Open for the next five years by finishing in the top 10 at St. Andrews this week, but does not expect that to happen despite saying he came to compete and has prepared well.
"I kind of just hope that I make it to Sunday," he said. "When you get to that position in your career, you‘re just hoping to make it to Sunday, then it‘s really time to hang them up."
When asked about Phil Mickelson‘s criticism of how he captained the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup team, Watson said Mickelson had "sour grapes."
"That was a disappointment to me," he said. "Phil was very disappointed about not being able to play. It was just kind of sour grapes. That‘s understandable, and we just got waxed, the whole team, and the disappointment was just there.
"We let our hearts talk for us. I did everything I possibly could in my own mind with the help of my captains and the PGA to do everything possible to have us win, and the other team was better."
