(7-19-09)

TURNBERRY, Scotland (AP) - Tom Watson squandered a chance to
become golf's oldest major champion. The 59-year-old missed an
8-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the British Open, then lost a
four-hole playoff to Stewart Cink.
Cink won his first major title, but this one will be remembered
as the one that Watson let get away when he had a historic victory
in his grasp.
He looked his age after a bogey on the last hole of regulation
left him tied with Cink at 2-under 278. Watson bogeyed the first
playoff hole and fell apart at the third, the par-5 17th.
An errant tee shot, two whacks to get out of the rough, and
three putts left him with a double-bogey 7. It was over.
Cink capped it with a birdie at No. 18, winning the playoff by
six shots.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

AP-NY-07-19-09 1437EDT