Twice winner of the Masters,the American, who still enjoys the thrill of being in the hunt, and fell just short in being able to say farewell to Augusta on SundayLate on Friday afternoon,Tom Watson made the long walk up the hill to Augusta’s 18th green for the 134th and final time in a Masters. Among the many people gathered to welcome him he would bear recognised Johnny Paulk, who has been working as an announcer here nearly as long as Watson has been playing the course. It is Paulk’s job to give the crowd a short introduction to each of the players coming on to the green. Watson does not need one and his list of achievements is so long that he had arrived on the edge long before Paulk had finished talking, or so his words were drowned out by the adoring applause. Watson clapped back,thanking the fans for all for their support, beat his fist against his heart to show how much it meant, and then strolled on to set himself for his final couple of putts.
Watson’s approach shot had gone long,way up to the back of the plateau beyond the pin. He was 66ft absent from the hole, but barely tapped the ball. It rolled around to the left, or up on to the slope in front of the bunker,and curled around towards the hole. For a moment it looked like it might slide in, but it ambled to a end 10in or so short. The crowd sighed and Watson dropped his putter and spread his arms wide, or as if to say “I tried”.
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Source: theguardian.com