TURNBERRY, Scotland - Tom Watson was among the British Open champions whom the R&A consulted when it decided the game was getting younger and it was time to lower the age limit to 60 for winners of golf’s oldest championship. It might be time to reconsider. Imagine how much different that conversation would have been had the Royal & Ancient seen a performance for the ages at Turnberry, where Watson, 59, was in the lead the final three days and came within an 8-foot putt of winning.

TURNBERRY, Scotland Maybe when the disappointment wears off—for both Tom Watson and the millions of fans cheering him on—everyone will take a larger message from his remarkable performance along the Scottish coast. Age, indeed, is just a number. Let’s not put these geezers out to pasture just yet. From George Foreman to Dara Torres, from Lance Armstrong to Mark Martin—and now, Watson—these geriatric athletes pop out of their rockin’ chairs from time to time, reminding us that youth may win out most times, but it’s not always served.

One putt from 8 feet was all that separated Tom Watson from a moment no one imagined possible until he was close enough to make it happen with one final stroke.

(x-won four-hole playoff, 14-20)
x-Stewart Cink, $1,221,005————————————-66-72-71-69—278
Tom Watson, $732,603————————————-65-70-71-72—278
Chris Wood, $415,142————————————-70-70-72-67—279
Lee Westwood, $415,142————————————-68-70-70-71—279
Luke Donald, $255,597————————————-71-72-70-67—280

TURNBERRY, Scotland—Tom Watson has a plan to win the British Open. It no longer reads like a fairy tale. Even as he slipped out of the lead yesterday in the testing breeze of Turnberry, the 59-year-old didn’t blink. He fired off two late birdies to complete another amazing day with a 1-over 71 for a one-shot lead, putting him 18 holes away from becoming golf’s oldest major champion.

GOLF U.S. BANK CHAMPIONSHIP
(6,759 yard, par 70
at Milwaukee)
  a-amateur
Frank Lickliter II————————————-66-70-63—199
Greg Chalmers————————————-64-67-69—200
Jeff Maggert————————————-68-67-66—201
Chris Riley————————————-67-66-68—201

Back-to-back 6s in yesterday’s third round - the first a triple bogey, the second a double - may have effectively knocked Steve Marino out of contention in the British Open at Turnberry, Scotland. The former University of Virginia standout, who was a late addition to the field, enters today’s final round in a four-way tie for 10th, five shots behind leader Tom Watson. But no matter where Marino finishes, his performance in his first British Open has been remarkable, says his former coach at U.Va.

TURNBERRY, Scotland—Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus starred in the famous “Duel in the Sun,“ one of the most compelling final rounds in major championship history. Thirty-two years later, one of them earned a chance to win another British Open at Turnberry at age 59. The other was playing tennis. Nicklaus, 70, said yesterday he finished playing tennis at home in South Florida in time to watch Watson play the back nine at Turnberry.

Tom Watson————————————-65-70-71-206
Mathew Goggin————————————-66-72-69-207
Ross Fisher————————————-69-68-70-207
Lee Westwood————————————-68-70-70-208
Retief Goosen————————————-67-70-71-208
Jim Furyk————————————-67-72-70-209
Stewart Cink————————————-66-72-71-209

Tom Watson looked around at the amazing scene Saturday, his eyes tearing up a bit as all the Scottish fans surrounding the 18th green toasted one of golf’s greatest champions.

TURNBERRY, Scotland—Who was on base when Bobby Thomson hit his famous homer? Who doled out all those assists the night Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points? They could probably relate to Steve Marino. The unheralded former University of Virginia star got into the British Open as an alternate, had to fly his dad to Florida to send along his passport and found himself with the 36-hole lead at golf’s oldest major.

“I kept compounding my problems out there,“ Tiger Woods lamented after missing the cut. TURNBERRY, Scotland—In one unforgettable hour, as nostalgia gave way to disbelief, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods walked off the 18th green at Turnberry headed in opposite directions few could have imagined. The oldest player at the British Open was leading.

TURNBERY, Scotland—Mark Calcavecchia’s wife, Brenda, is his caddie for the week. That’s nothing new. She has carried his bag occasionally since they first started dating in 2001, and she was his caddie the weekend before they got married in Italy. Calcavecchia counts two victories with Brenda on the bag—the Maekyung Open and the Shark Shootout.

GOLF U.S. BANK CHAMPIONSHIP
(6,759 yard, par 70
at Milwaukee)
  a-amateur
Greg Chalmers————————————-64-67-131
Chris Riley————————————-67-66-133
Jeff Klauk————————————-64-69-133
Kris Blanks————————————-70-63-133
Kevin Na————————————-69-65-134

Former U.Va. player shoots 2-under 68 to share the lead at 5 under at Turnberry with Watson, who climbs back after bogeying five of the first seven holes. Woods misses the cut by one stroke.