FanHouse TomWatson

Tiger Woods won five times in 2009, but for the fourth time in his 13-year career, he was shutout in the majors. That may not be cause for concern for Woods, but it gives fans and the media something to talk about. It also makes the "How would you rank the major championships?" question a lot more interesting.

With only one tournament left on the PGA Tour calender, now seems like as good a time as any to make my case. Obviously, this will be a scientifically rigorous endeavor, and I hope that you would treat the results accordingly. Or don't. Whatever, let's get to it.

In reverse order, the most exciting majors of 2009:

Tom Watson nearly won the British Open nine days ago. A uncooperative putter -- one that has plagued him for most of his career -- proved his undoing, and the 59-year-old would have to settle for second place and the Greg Norman Treatment.

Last year, Norman, then 53, made a run at the Claret Jug, faded late, eventually tied for third, and spent the next 12 months accepting congratulatory wishes for the moral victory. There are worse ways to transition to the old-timer's circuit.

Amid all the back-slapping we've been treated to any number of explanations for Watson's success, despite his advanced age: a golf landscape devoid of talented young players, Watson's Open Championship experience (particularly at Turnberry), his shiny new hip, so and and so forth.

On Monday, hours after losing the British Open in a playoff to Stewart Cink, Tom Watson (don't know if you heard, but he's 59 years old) hopped a flight to make the short trip from Turnberry, Scotland to Sunningdale, England to prepare for the Senior British Open.

Last year, then 53-year-old Greg Norman logged a third-place finish at the British before tying for fifth at the Senior British. And through the first round, Watson is on a similar path. He's currently tied for sixth, three shots behind leader Fred Funk, after signing for a 67. (Interestingly, Norman also shot 67.)

A year ago, Greg Norman finished third at the British Open after leading the tournament through 54 holes. He then earned a top-5 finish at the Senior British Open the following week.

His out-of-nowhere showing at Royal Birkdale was enough for the PGA Championship to extend him an invitation. Partly because of his performance in Europe, but also because Tiger Woods was rehabbing a bum knee and Norman could help counter floundering television ratings.

He ultimately declined, Padraig Harrington went on to win his second major in as many months, and ratings were predictably awful.

For 71-and-a-half holes, 59-year-old Tom Watson was Turnberry's best golfer. A two-putt bogey and four forgettable playoff holes later, Watson was a 59-year-old British Open runner-up. Stewart Cink, 23 years Watson's junior, had played flawlessly down the stretch and finally captured his first major.

In the aftermath of what almost was, Watson has been hailed as a hero, his performance a reminder that age, if just for a week, can be a state of mind. God forbid we leave it at that. The fact that someone who has been on this earth for almost six decades came within one shot of winning one of the toughest tests in golf can only mean one thing: it's not a sport.

At least that's the tired, cliche-riddled arguments you'll get from certain media folk every time an old-timer has a good showing. Because, you know, it happens almost weekly.*

Tiger Woods' 2008 season ended promptly after he peg-legged his way around Torrey Pines to win the U.S. Open. He had reconstructive knee surgery and didn't return to the PGA Tour until this February. Predictably, television ratings plummeted, even with Padraig Harrington successfully defending his British Open title before winning the PGA Championship a month later.

Good news: Woods missed only his fifth professional cut at Turnberry last week, but ratings for ABC's final-round coverage was up from the year before. Bad news (via Sports Business Daily via Sports Media Watch):

On a day when 59-year-old Tom Watson was going for his ninth major victory, former Major League pitcher Rick Rhoden, 56, won for the eighth time at the Lake Tahoe Celebrity Championship.

The victory earned Rhoden a cool $125,000, which brings his career winnings at Tahoe to $1.13 million. Some perspective: the most Rhoden ever earned during a baseball season was $900,000, in 1989 with the Houston Astros.

For those interested in the final-round details: Rhoden ended the weekend with 74 points in the modified Stableford format (he fired a 2-over 74 on Sunday), outlasting ex-NHLer Dan Quinn, a four-time winner at Tahoe. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who led the event after the first round, finished third.

Tom Watson has waited 26 years to win his ninth major, and after a "no way that's got a chance" putt to save par on the 18th green came up woefully short, he'll have to wait at least four more holes. The 59-year-old five-time British Open champion now heads to a playoff with Stewart Cink to decide the 138th Open Championship.

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Twenty-one-year-old Englishman Chris Wood earned his European Tour card prior to the 2009 season. A few months before, the then-amateur, making his first British Open appearance, tied for fifth at Royal Birkdale.

Twelve months later, Wood is again on the first page of the leaderboard at the Open Championship. And now, following four steady-as-she-goes rounds at Turnberry, Wood is the leader in the clubhouse. After a 3-under final 18 -- the best round of the day by two strokes -- Wood is at 1-under for the week, currently two back of leaders Lee Westwood, Mathew Goggin and Tom Watson.

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