Just Another Case of The Man Keeping You Down

Not long before this year's British Open (or simply The Open as it is called everywhere except here in the United States; note - this is not just another example of American jingoism. We use the moniker because we too have what any real golf fan calls "The Open". We need some kind of measure for distinction), I read an article analzying recent success stories at the ultimate test of links golf. One of the key conclusions was that Tom Watson was likely the best links golfer of the last 50 years, a fact backed up by five British Open victories on five different courses during his career.

So here's Watson at age 59 leading The Open heading to the weekend. But he better enjoy it while it lasts, because under the rules and eligibility established by the older-than-dirt Royal & Ancient which oversees the championship, this very well could be his last one:

Here's a little wrinkle: The Royal & Ancient Golf Club has decreed that nobody over the age of 60 can play in a British Open. So all of a sudden, the greatest links player in history is down to one-and-a-half Britishes.

On its face, it seems to make sense, in a curiously unsentimental way -- nobody wants to see a bunch of old geezers doddering their way around a course. The oldest major winner was Julius Boros at the PGA in 1968 -- age 48 -- and the oldest to win the British was Old Tom Morris at age 46, which happened nearly a century and a half ago. So there's not exactly precedent for what Watson's doing right now.

The list of exemption rules for the British Open, like all majors, is a mile long, but the basic thrust is this: Watson can play next year on his Open-winner exemption, but that's it -- unless, of course, he turns in another outstanding tournament and records a top-10 finish in 2010. And then the question comes -- after such a magnificent performance this year, does Watson get another exemption? Or does he get a handshake and sent off into that Scottish night?

It would be quite a story for a guy with 13 full years on a winner they called Old Tom Morris to somehow walk off with golf's oldest trophy. But don't etch his name to the Jug yet. Even so, can't we all just agree that certain players do enough to warrant a lifetime exemption? The Masters does this. The U.S. Open does this. The PGA does it too. Why not just like the old guys have their two rounds and give the fans a chance to see the legends of the game walk alongside the next generation(s)? Just goes to show you that even snobby old white dudes can be straightjacketed by The Man sometimes.