Watson: Open defeat not easy to take

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All the 59-year-old had to do to claim victory was hit a nine iron onto the green from the middle of the 72nd fairway and two-putt for the most astonishing victory the game has ever seen. But he decided on an eight iron, sent it just off the back edge and from there raced his first putt eight feet past and missed the return before capitulating in the play-off with Stewart Cink.

"It tears at your gut, as it always has torn at my gut - it's not easy to take," he said.

Eleven years older than Julius Boros was when he set the record for oldest major winner at the 1968 US PGA, Watson now moves on to Sunningdale for the Senior British Open starting on Thursday.

But nothing he does there can grab the attention of the sporting world in the way he did right from his opening 65 last Thursday.

Back on the course where his "Duel in the Sun" with Jack Nicklaus took place in 1977 - he matched his great rival's closing birdie to win by one then - Watson dominated the week.

"It would have been a hell of a story, wouldn't it," he said to reporters after first of all breaking the silence by commenting: "This ain't a funeral, you know.

"I just didn't do it and the play-off was one bad shot after another, but the crowds were just wonderful to me all week.

"It was almost. Almost. The dream almost came true."

Asked for the most abiding memory of his adventure Watson thought and answered: "I think coming up the 18th hole again. Those memories are hard to forget. Coming up in the amphitheatre and having the crowd cheering you on like they do here for me. The feeling is mutual and that makes you feel human. It makes you feel so good."