Tom Watson moves on from Dornoch to Brora

 

By ROBIN WILSON

Brora Golf Club's association with two five-time Open champions, James Braid and Peter Thomson, extended to three such great golfers when Tom Watson played the course today. He is pictured on the first tee.

 

Braid won the Claret Jug for a fifth time in 1910 and then visited Brora in 1923 to lay out the existing golf course. Australian Thomson won his first Open in 1954 and many say his best and his last in 1965 when at the time following the lead given to them by Arnold Palmer the Americans were beginning to dominate the world of golf.

 

From the mid-1990s Thomson went regularly to holiday in Brora in the weeks prior to being a  TV analyst at the Open Championship and it was on his visit in 1997 he was involved in the formation of the James Braid Society. He is the President of that Society and also an honorary President of Brora Club.

 

Watson (67) was born in Kansas  in 1949 and during a glittering career won eight majors that included five Opens and two Masters. His first four Open wins all came in Scotland, 1975 Carnoustie, 1977 Turnberry, 1980 Muirfield and 1982 Troon. His last was at Royal Birkdale in 1983 scene of this week's Open Championship.

 

Watson is in the North tuning up his game on links turf before the British Senior Open Championship at Royal Porthcawl in two weeks.

He played Royal Dornoch on Sunday and Monday and his party of eight guests included his son Michael and Tuck Clagett who will be on his bag at Royal Porthcawl from July 27 to 30. Brora senior champion Ronnie Sim (73) caddied for Tom at Brora.

 

Tomorrow (Wednesday) they play Nairn and on Friday Castle Stuart

 

Afterward his round Watson said “ It was glorious weather in which to play the course. A good breeze on the outward half but a bit too strong coming home where the greens were hard to hold and I did not play too well. I think I scored 76,  but would like another crack at it."