Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer. He is most popular for competing professionally on the PGA Tour and was active in the 1970's and 1980's. During which, Watson was one of the leading golfers and was even rated the number one player in the world. Obviously, it's clear that Tom Watson is not a force to be reckoned with. So let's find out more about golfer Tom Watson along with his biography and career highlights.
Tom Watson Biography
Professional Career
"No other game combines the wonder of nature with the discipline of sport in such carefully planned ways. A great golf course both frees and challenges a golfer’s mind." - Tom Watson
Thomas Sturges Watson was born on September 4, 1949 in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. Watson was one of the top American golfers in the 1970's and 1980's.
In his early days, Watson studied psychology at Stanford University during which he competed on the college's golf team. Watson performed really well during his college years. So after his graduation in 1971, he joined the PGA and with the help of his mentor, Byron Nelson, he won his first PGA championship on the Western Open in 1974.
The subsequent year, Watson competed in his first British Open and claimed victory. He didn't stop there. Watson went on to win 4 more British Open titles in the years to come. Aside from the British Open, he ventured in other major championships such as the Masters and the U.S Open. Not only that, Watson also competed in the Ryder Cup a few times.
Watson's most notable achievement is the six-time PGA Player of the year which earned him the induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988. Ten years later, he won his 39th PGA title and joined the Champions tour the following year. In total, Watson has achieved a total of 70 professional wins under his belt throughout his professional career which is extremely impressive. In terms of skill, he was praised for his putting and chipping abilities.
Personal Life
Now, let's get into his personal life. Tom Watson was married to Hillary Watson and is a father of two, Meg Watson and Michael Watson. Unfortunately his wife of over 2 decades had passed away in 2019 at age 63 due to pancreatic cancer.
Tom Watson stands at a height of 5 feet 9 inches or 175cm tall and weighs in at around 79kg. In 2022, Watson turns 73 years old in September and had retired from competitive golf since 2019 after almost 50 years of outstanding achievements.
Tom Watson Career Highlights
| Year | Achievements |
|---|---|
| 1974 | Wins his first professional Championship - Western Open |
| 1975 | British Open win |
| 1977 | Masters and British Open win |
| 1977-1979 | Wins the Vardon Trophy for the lowest stroke average on the PGA Tour for three consecutive years |
| 1977-1980 | Leading PGA Tour money winner for four consecutive years |
| 1980 | British Open win |
| 1981 | Masters win |
| 1982 | U.S. Open and British Open win |
| 1983 | British Open win |
| 1984 | Leading PGA Tour money winner |
| 1988 | Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame |
| 1989 | Ryder Cup team win |
| 1993 | Ryder Cup team win |
| 1999 | Bank One Championship win two weeks after joining the Senior PGA Tour |
| 1999 | Named an honorary member of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews |
| 2001 | Senior PGA Championship win |
| 2001 | Inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame |
| 2003 | Senior British Open win |
| 2005 | Senior British Open win |
| 2011 | Senior PGA Championship win |
Tom Watson Net Worth
As of 2022, Tom Watson's net worth is estimated to be $25 million. He has earned his net worth as one of the top players during his prime.
Nevertheless, he is still regarded as one of the best professional golfers in the world, winning 8 major championships and led the PGA Tour money list for a total of 5 times.
Summary
There you have it! Here's what you need to know about the legend Tom Watson if you somehow didn't already know. Hopefully we answered your question on "who was Tom Watson?". We certainly hope you had a good read and hopefully you find some inspiration to start your own golfing journey. So book a tee time now!
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