Golf Seniors OpenIt was a case of Björn again for the second British Open Championship Sunday in succession as England's Carl Mason blew his chance of a landmark victory in the Seniors British Open at Turnberry. Mason held a two-shot lead over tournament favourite Tom Watson standing on the 72nd tee, only to take a double-bogey six and allow the American into a sudden-death play-off.
Watson, who won the Open over the same Ailsa course in his famous "duel in the sun" 26 years ago, had started the final round three shots behind Mason but opened the front nine with a birdie three and the back nine with an eagle two, before finishing birdie, birdie, bogey for a six-under-par 64.
Playing an iron off the tee for safety on the final regulation hole, Mason found anything but, landing in a bunker from which he could only play out sideways, then went into the rough, then off the green to the right, and took two putts for a two-over-par six from which he never fully recovered.
The players exchanged par fours on the first extra hole, but Mason had bunker trouble again as he played the 18th for the third time in 45 minutes before a total mis-hit third left the door wide open for the man from Kansas who, with eight majors already to his name, played out secure in the knowledge that his first Seniors British Open was safely in the bag.
"I really didn't expect to win here this week, and especially after I bogeyed 18, I thought that was it, but I got into a play-off and got lucky," said Watson, adding, "I'll be there at Royal Portrush next year to defend this title, and I hear from Ben Crenshaw that it is a real good links course, which is good enough for me."
Mason said: "Just now, I'm pretty gutted, but overall, I'm proud of the way I played, and a big cheque helps cushion the blow a bit."
Watson added €222,779 to his bank balance, whilst Mason had to make do with €148,590, still €8,590 more than his biggest pay-day to date when he won the Scottish Open in 1994, one of his two European Tour victories.
Des Smyth was left to rue Friday's five-over-par 75, which effectively put him out of contention despite an opening 67 and a 66 on Saturday, with yesterday's second consecutive 66 leaving the man from Drogheda in 13th place, 13 shots behind Watson.
"I played well three days out of four, but I did too much damage on Friday which put me out of contention, because at this level you can't afford a single bad round," reflected Smyth, who was out in 32 and back in 34.
"I putted well in the final round, and was especially pleased with my eagle at 17," added the six-time Irish PGA champion. "But overall I have to be a bit disappointed with my performance at Turnberry, but such is the standard at this Seniors Open that even a 65 instead of a 75 on Friday would not have won me the tournament."
Smyth finished as leading Irishman, adding €21,402 to his season's total to date of €487,730.
Eamonn Darcy salvaged something from a disappointing championship, finishing equal 25th at two-under-par after a 68 yesterday to win €13,722, but the Enniskerry man was still unhappy with his game: "I still have no confidence and I'm not getting any control in my game."
Two-time British Seniors Open winner Christy O'Connor jnr (54th) and Denis O'Sullivan (37th) finished five over and one over respectively.
