Tom Watson at the 1998 British Open, Royal Birkdale.  I've been a fan of his since I was fourteen years old.  Tom won the Masters in 1977 and 1981, the U.S. Open in 1982, and the British Open in 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983.  His battles with Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry in 1977 and  Pebble Beach in 1982 will live on in golf history.

I was able to finally get his autograph in 2003, at the Jeld-Wen Tradition in my home state of Oregon, the day John Solheim of the Ping company presented him with a gold plated replica of the old Anser putter he used in his prime.  That was the summer Tom played so well in the U.S. Open and won the Senior British Open.  Watson also won the Tradition that year, giving Bruce Edwards, his caddie of almost thirty years, one final victory before Bruce passed away from ALS in 2004.  I saw every shot of Watson's second round 62 and it was a great week of golf.

Watson was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.