Is Watson in it to win it?

I've been doing a lot of thinking this weekend about my late father. Positive thinking, as just about always when I remember him.

When I was young, it was amusing to me that he'd get all excited when Sam Snead or some other "old" golfer was doing well in a tournament. It didn't take much to get my dad to watch golf on television, and even less to get him out on the course. But he'd pay even more rapt attention if Slamming Sammy was in contention.

The amusing part was that as close as those oldtimers might come, they wouldn't ever win. But my dad, like a true fan, never gave up hope.

I better understood his interest, passion and rooting interest when I got older. My passion was baseball, and I could identify with older guys like Nolan Ryan and Charlie Hough who at advanced ages were having far greater success in the major leagues than I ever did even in the Tri-County Small Fry League.

The reason I've been thinking about Dad this weekend, of course, has been Tom Watson's play in the British Open. I haven't played golf in several years, and rarely watch it on TV. But I changed the channel over -- just to take a look at the leaders.

Well, I'm still watching it. One part of me is figuring Watson has come this far, and he can do it. The back of my mind tells me, perhaps logically, that he can't keep it up. That part tells me he's too old, that my kids would be amused when Watson comes close but doesn't win.

A win by Watson would be nice for older guys like me. But I want him to win it for Dad.