Winning Still Fuels Watson's Drive

By MICK ELLIOTT The Tampa Tribune

Published: Apr 17, 2008

LUTZ - Tom Watson is beating golf balls on the practice range. The defending champion of this week's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am has been at it for a while.

"I've been working out and I'm in good shape," the 58-year-old golf hall of famer said. "But I haven't hit too many balls. We've had a bad winter."

Back home in Overland Park, Kan., Watson spent much of the recent offseason indoors fighting city hall. The local county commission wanted to annex 15 square miles of private property, mostly agricultural land, and Watson is leading the opposition.

"This has been a good understanding of the law, trying to understand how our governmental officials work," he said. "The Board of County Commissioners, the House of Representatives in the state of Kansas, the Senate, how lobbyists work; it's fascinating. It's a game."

That being the case, Watson undoubtedly expects to win.

Responding to challenge earned Watson eight major championships and a total of 39 PGA Tour victories. Long ago, it took him into the World Golf Hall of Fame and powered him into a successful golf course design business. It also has inspired. He continues active fundraising efforts for ALS, the disease that four years ago cut short the life of longtime caddie and friend Bruce Edwards. During Thanksgiving, he was part of a tour that visited American military bases in Kuwait and Iraq.

"We went over there just to give some relief to their sheer terror or their boredom," Watson said. "We just tried to give them a few laughs and get their minds off of what they are doing."

Golf, however, after all these years, continues to be the juice that makes him want to go.

"The competition is still there," Watson said. "I like coming out here and playing a tough golf course and competing with the best fields we have all year. Going to the Masters. I still enjoy that. The British Open, playing against the kids."

Last year proved the man continues to carry plenty of game. He won the Outback Pro-Am and the Senior British Open. Competing in 12 events, he finished with eight top 10s.

"Well, he was the top guy in his era there for a while, and he can still play," Scott Hoch said. "I've always been amazed at his swing and how well he does play. I'll tell you what, he hits the ball as good - possibly better - now than he did back then. He was a better putter back in his heyday. But he hits the ball well.

"The thing is, it's hard for guys to stop because they enjoy the competition. He's still more than competitive. If things go right for him, he can win whenever he tees it up."

More telling is that's exactly what Watson expects.

"Pretty simple," he said. "You lose that anger of your failures and what are you doing out here?"

Watson never has done failure well. There's no reason to start now - whether it's on the golf course or in county court.

"It's a fight that we're losing right now," he said. "But we've still got a few punches left somewhere. There's been a lesson in how government works, how the power of politics works for certain people. It has been an educational experience. I've been enjoying it."

Already with a history of involvement in just causes - Watson once resigned membership from his favorite Kansas City golf and country club in protest of its membership restrictions - it's almost enough to suggest a move to politics might soon follow. If it worked for former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne, why not one of the most respected minds from golf?

"No, absolutely not," Watson said. "Not at all. But I think everybody should get involved supporting a candidate in an election to understand how the process works."

In that case, how about a couple of questions about the Masters?

Watson laughed.

"Another political process."

Reporter Mick Elliott can be reached at (813) 281-2534 or melliott@tampatrib.com.