Tom Watson says he is ready to play his last Open Championship at St Andrews this week, comparing it to "death", but still leaving open the door for another crack at the tournament that has defined his career.

The 65-year-old American needed a special exemption just to get into this year's 144th Open to make his 38th appearance and walk a last time over the Swilcan Bridge in the footsteps of such as Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and the man he calls the "greatest player of all time" Jack Nicklaus.

It is a fitting place to end his Open career, even if none of his five Open titles came at the Home of Golf.

But the satisfaction for Watson is tinged with a degree of sadness.

"Well, it (Open golf) has defined my career I have to say, and there is a certain sense of melancholy. You can sense that," he said on the eve of Thursday's first round.

"The regret that it's over. I said it a month ago, it's a little bit like death. The finality of the end is here."

Watson will always be remembered for his five Open titles that came at Carnoustie (1975), Turnberry (1977), Muirfield (1980), Troon (1982) and Birkdale (1993).

He admitted Wednesday that he had hated links golf for the first few years, before, like many who have gone before him, he learned to appreciate the special demands and skills needed to succeed on British seaside courses.

- No Regrets -

But he will perhaps be even more remembered for his famed Open charge aged 59 back again at Turnberry in 2009 when he missed an eight-foot putt to win the tournament and then lost the playoff to Stewart Cink.
Asked if he looked back with any regret on coming so close to pulling off one of the greatest sports stories of all time - one which he admitted caused him "a moment of turmoil and sadness" at the time - Watson was adamant.

"You know, I had so many times in my career where I hit a shot that cost me a tournament, but I had so many times in my career where I hit the shot that won me the tournament. So they balanced out," he said.

"So no, I don't have any regrets on that. It was just kind of the luck of the shot."

And so to Thursday and Friday's rounds, which would be his last at the Open if he fails to make the cut, although Watson revealed that he does have one last target in the back of his mind.

"And now it's time for my final Open Championship here at St. Andrews. This will be it," he said, before adding: "I don't expect to probably end up in the top 10. It would be nice if I ended up in the top 10, to be able to extend five more years (exemption).

"I don't foresee that, although I'm playing pretty well. I kind of just hope that I make it to Sunday. When you get to that position in your career, you're just hoping to make it to Sunday. Then it's really time to hang them up."

Watson also revealed that he would not play his last Masters at Augusta National next April, having contested the year's first major 42 times, winning twice.

"The golf course is too big for me, and with my declining skills and length, I won't be playing that," he said.

"As I said a few weeks ago, the toolbox is kind of half empty with the tools I used to be able to play good golf. Those tools are missing right now or pretty rusty, rusty like me. That's kind of where I am."
Source: AFP