Tom Watson is furious with himself for not giving this year's Open Championship at Turnberry the incredible climax it deserved.

"It tears at your gut, as it always has torn at my gut - it's not easy to take," said Watson of the last-hole bogey and play-off collapse which stopped him becoming the oldest major champion in history.

All the 59-year-old had to do to equal the six Claret Jug record set by Harry Vardon way back in 1914 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.

On Watson's own admission "the wheels then came off" in the four-hole play-off with fellow American Stewart Cink, who took his first major title at two under par to Watson's four over.

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."

Asked by one to suggest a headline for his heroic effort to rewrite the record books Watson suggested: "The Old Fogey Almost Did It."

And so he did. Watson, in and out of the lead all week, moved back in front on his own when he birdied the penultimate hole.

Cink had already made his closing 14-foot birdie putt to get to two under par, then Lee Westwood three-putted from around 80 feet for a bogey that dropped him to one under with Bristol 21-year-old Chris Wood, another to bogey the hole.

All eyes turned to Watson, only to see him make perhaps the most disappointing bogey of his life - and the lives of all those willing him on.

"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," he said.

"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."

Watson can play again as a past champion at St Andrews next year, but the age limit was brought down two years ago from 65 to 60 and so that will be it.

Unless, of course, he finishes in the top 10, wins a Senior Open or finds another way back.

Or, indeed, if the Royal and Ancient Club put the limit back up after looking at what 53-year-old Greg Norman did last year (third) and what a man six weeks away from his 60th birthday did this year.