« Amrit Yoga Stays With You Long After Downward Dog | Main | Why Bottled Water May Leave You Thirsty for Tap Water »
Tom Watson Might Not Have Won in Scotland, But He is Still A Winner
By Christina | July 22, 2009
Even non-golf aficionados had to be riveted by the drama that unfolded with Tom Watson this past weekend at the British Open. Everyone likes an underdog. What better hero than an aging underdog at that. At almost 60 years old, Tom Watson is no spring chicken even in the world of golf, which tends to be much more forgiving to age than other more physically demanding sports like basketball and football. The British Open was a nail biter to the point that George Foreman, another athlete that won a title way past his prime, said at one point “he had to turn the tv off, he couldn’t bear to watch.”
It was a day of drama. Tom Watson should not have played as spectacularly as he did. He made some amazing shots. He should not have ever been a frontrunner. He was. He should not have been in a position to win the whole Open up until the last hole. He almost did it. He should not have played the last hole as poorly as he did. He choked. It was a day Tom Watson did not expect to have. He almost won it all, but almost wasn’t enough.
He may not have officially won, but he won my heart and the hearts of all athletes that are still bringing their “A” game long past when everyone thinks its time for them to throw in the towel. I’m 41 and still teaching 13 classes a week, training for a half-marathon in November and a full marathon in January. A common refrain that I hear all the time is “You’re still teaching?” I can only imagine the feedback athletes like Lance Armstrong and Dara Torres receive. “Really. Haven’t you already done enough? Don’t you want to go out a winner? Isn’t it someone else’s turn?”
Tom Watson showed us that the athletes we once were may be older, but that our competitive spirit never goes away. Losing is a matter of semantics. He may have lost the British Open at the last hole, but he might have won it all at that hole as well. How could anyone think that Tom Watson turned in a losing performance, when his performance was nothing short of remarkable? The real losers would have been us if Tom had listened to all the naysayers who had counted him out and had decided to watch the British Open from his couch. Thanks Tom and all the other “aging” athletes that continue show us all that age is just a number. You are all winners in my book.
Topics: General |
