I have followed a fellow Rhodesian, Dennis Watson's tortuous career for over thirty years. In 1972 I took a sabbatical and returned to that country for almost a year. I spent a great deal of time playing with Simon Hobday and David Leadbetter, the latter was the assistant professional at the Chapman Golf Club. But what interested me most was the talent of two teenagers, Nick Price and Denis Watson, two phenominal talents.
I think Price made the first hit by winning at Firestone in 1963. Watson then won there a year later and another eventually winning the Las Vegas Invitational. Perhaps the most crushing disappointment was a two stoke penalty in the US Open of 1965 for waiting for a moving ball to drop, which it did, and losing to Andy North by a stroke.
In the intervening years a series of injuries and hardships played a part in his playing less and less for over twenty years. His play this week was an inspiration to a host of players who just want the chance to play.
It was gratifying to me to see the play of Tim Simpson, A man who has suffered greatly from Lyme Disease and who finished the Championship in the top ten for the first time in many years. It was Tim who castigated the USGA official who inflicted the penalty on Watson way back in 1985. The official, who shall be nameless, pontificated about the honor of the game etc., etc., but was later found to have had less than honorable dealings with members of the family estate.
The Ocean Course certainly showed its fangs.
Bob