I can recall attending the 1998 U.S. Senior Open, an event won by Hale Irwin but which was for me more memorable for an indelible lesson I learned about Jack Nicklaus.  Jack was playing on an arthritis-plagued hip which would eventually require replacement, and was visibly in pain from Wednesday's practice round onward.  On a Riviera Country Club layout playing U.S. Open tough due to some frightening Kikuyu rough, he hobbled around on Thursday and Friday, somehow reaching the halfway point only six shots behind frontrunning Raymond Floyd.  It seemed unlikely he could make a sustained weekend run given the injury, and indeed a Saturday 79 ended Jack's hopes with a vengeance.  I can recall thinking that he would likely withdraw at that point, there now being little purpose to putting himself through another day's pain.  Instead, Jack came out and carded a flawless 67 - the tournament's low round - and demonstrated comprehensively why he was such a uniquely great champion.

This story comes to mind because this past Wednesday night, I looked forward to watching round one of the Australian Open, partially because it was being played at the Lakes Golf Club (a facility stunningly renovated by Mike Clayton) but also because 63-year-old Tom Watson was playing - and how many more times will get to see Watson compete against the under-50s?  Unfortunately, Watson arrived Down Under with a touch of the flu and, wearing a windbreaker when most others were in shirtsleeves, struggled to an opening 78.   Once again, I thought, withdrawal seemed a reasonable option.  But instead, Watson chose to give a clinic on his own brand of competitive greatness by coming out in tough, windy conditions on Friday and firing a cool little 68 - which happened to tie with three other men for the low round of the day.  And while it is clearly re-stating the obvious......we're talking about a 63-year-old man here.

Remarkable.

And one other memorable tidbit: The field included nearly 30 men who have recorded major tour victories worldwide - but at the start of play, Watson had more career PGA Tour and Major championship wins then the entire rest of the field combined!

It's been quite a career.   

UPDATE: For those who might have considered Watson's Friday 68 a fluke.....  After another disappointing 78 on Saturday, he closed with a 69 on Sunday - nothing eye-popping at a glance, until one realizes that with conditions once again very cold and windy, he was the only player in the field to break 70!  More late-career ammunition for those who consider Watson the greatest bad weather player the game has ever seen.

It must be noted, however, that it was great week for seniors overall in Australia, as 53-year-old Peter Senior actually won the title, closing with a fine 72 to claim his national open (by one over Brendan Jones) for the second time - some 23 years after his maiden victory.