Did Watson purposely tank at 18 on Friday?

[Wayne_Kozun]

I was just having a chat with a buddy re: Watson's triple bogey on 18 on Friday and my friend said that Watson did this on purpose to miss the cut.  RJ Daley hinted at this in another post and I hate to ask this of a great champion, but "Did Tom Watson purposely take a triple bogey on 18 on Friday so that me would miss the cut?"

He sure was nonchalant playing that hole, particularly his putt for double.  I can't remember if the cut line was already set but he sure didn't look interested in playing any more golf and he was in one of the later groups - 25th out of 33 groups.  Perhaps it is understandable since he figured he didn't have a chance to win so why torture himself on such a tough course in near-freezing temperatures.

[David_Tepper]

I find that notion VERY hard to believe!

[JSlonis]

I'm not sure what he was doing.  I saw it live and was very surprised about how nonchalant he was.  He certainly wasn't grinding to make the double bogey putt. After he missed it, he gave a funny little wave of his hand, it was odd.

[Phil_the_Author]

This is a man who regularly plays in freezing temperatures in Kansas City... I am certain the cold and wind in Augusta wasn't a burden on his play.

[Brent Hutto]

Maybe we see what we expect to see but I think by the time he got to that short putt and yipped it he was having some sort of anxiety meltdown. I think he very much wanted to make the cut and couldn't believe how it all fell apart on the last hole. That spastic hand gesture of a wave at the crowd was unlike anything I've ever seem from Tom. I felt bad for him.

No way he was tanking it. This is Tom Watson we're talking about, he's a total hardass and takes enormous pride in his golf game.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I find it impossible to believe but it did appear that way from the look of the effort taken.

[Doug Siebert]

At the time he was playing out the leaders were still -3, weren't they?  I think he figured he'd already blown his chance to make the cut before he missed that final short putt.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I don't know if Watson worries about his place in history but he is tied with Palmer and Casper for most cuts made at the Masters and one behind Crenshaw.  I think he might like to move ahead of them.  Nicklaus, Player and, floyd would be the only ones ahead of hism

[Jim Sweeney]

I don't claim to be able to answer this question definitively, but I was spectating on 18 while Watson was playing.

When Watson's group was approaching their drives they were clearly upset about the pace of play, which was dismal- approaching six hours. Mind you the weather was brutal, but all the players in the group played very quickly as soon as they had the chance.

I don't believe he "tanked," but I do believe all the players in the group had completely lost concentration and were just trying to get the hell off the course. He did not "tank," but I'm not sure that he really cared at that point. Did you see his body language on those bunker shots? It seemed to say, "who needs this?" He probably assumed he had missed the cut anyway.

[David Lott]

Watson did not have his fabulous career because he was inclined to tank.

He might have lost concentration--it happens, especially to older players--but the suggestion that he would tank (ie--deliberately take more strokes to miss the cut) is utterly silly.

[Guy Phelan]

No...he had been (has been) struggling with short putts and was "upset" throwing his arms in the air, and wanted to move on...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Only his hairdresser(or shrink) knows for sure.

[Wayne_Kozun]

At the time he was playing out the leaders were still -3, weren't they?  I think he figured he'd already blown his chance to make the cut before he missed that final short putt.

I am pretty sure at the time that it was clear that the cut would be at +8.

Wetterich and Clark were the second round leaders and were in at -2 well before Watson got to 18.  Zach was in the group right in front of Watson so he was done at Even par bogeying 16, 17 & 18.  Rose was in the last group of the second round but he was -1 for all of the back nine until he bogeyed 18 to finish at Even.

[John_Cullum]

When an experienced Tour player is near the cut line on Friday afternoon, he knows the number.

It's hard to believe, but I think he wanted to get the hell out of Augusta at the time, and it caused him to make a rash decision.

[Rich Goodale]

I think that when your have been REALLY good at something and then find yourself struggling to "make the cut," grinding becomes pointless.

[John Kavanaugh]

I think that when your have been REALLY good at something and then find yourself struggling to "make the cut," grinding becomes pointless.

Speaking of Jimmy Demaret....I think his famous quote would lend some credence to the fact that at Watson's point in his career making the cut is the goal...Anyone at +8 after Friday had a huge shot at making the top 10 and still an outside shot at winning.  Watson is the new John Daly.

[Mike_Young]

YES..
TANK MAY NOT BE A GOOD WORD BUT WITH COLD WEATHER AND HIGH SCORE..MOTIVATION WAS NOT THERE  

[Carlyle Rood]

No.

[Rich Goodale]

What "famous quote" John?

[RJ_Daley]

Mike, I ageee.  Not tank, but not too keen on battling the course, conditions, and maybe he had something more personally important to do, or felt crappy.  I originally posted that what I thought explained him being so uninterested in making any of those shots from B or the first putt was a disgust at what the course has become and how set-up.  Watson has way too much feeling for the history of the game than to just tank.  That wave seemed like giving the finger at the whole thing, without extending the middle finger of course...  we Italians know that sort of thing with hand jive.  

[John Kavanaugh]

What "famous quote" John?

"Golf and sex are about the only things you can enjoy without being good at."

[Rich Goodale]

John

Good quote, poor reference.  Stick to asphalt for a few days.

[John Kavanaugh]

John

Good quote, poor reference.  Stick to asphalt for a few days.

It is a great reference...I've never been a golfer on Watson's level but my wife still expects me to bring it home every time no matter how much my skills continue to diminish.