ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Less than a year removed from his controversial Ryder Cup captaincy and the latest loss by the United States to the Europeans, Tom Watson delivered a parting shot to Phil Mickelson on Wednesday.
Watson, speaking to reporters in a press conference in advance of this week’s British Open, in which he will make his 40th and final appearance, used the words “sour grapes’’ to describe Mickelson.
Mickelson, whom Watson benched for the entire Saturday of the three-day competition last September, was very vocal after the US loss in his criticism of Watson for lack of communication with the players.
“That was a disappointment to me,’’ Watson said. “Phil was very disappointed about not being able to play. It was kind of sour grapes. That’s understandable. And we just got waxed, the whole team, and the disappointment was just there.
“We let our hearts talk for us. I did everything I possibly could in my own mind with the help of my captains and the PGA to do everything possible to have us win, and it just wouldn’t … the other team was better.’’
Asked about the current state of his relationship with Mickelson, Watson said, “We’re cordial. I saw him [Tuesday] night. We said hello, and yeah, we were fine.’’
Mickelson did not comment about Watson on Wednesday, but at last week’s Scottish Open, Mickelson was complimentary of the 65-year-old five-time British Open champion.
“I thought I would get asked about Tom Watson and just the only thing I would say is that he’s one of the greatest champions this game has ever had,” Mickelson said. “I hope [the Open Championship] is a celebration of that greatness. It’s his last Open Championship, and I’m certainly appreciative of all he’s done for the game of golf and admire it. That’s all I really wanted to say on that.”
Watson, while addressing this being his final British Open, also revealed the 2016 Masters would be his last.
“It has defined my career I have to say, and there is a certain sense of melancholy,’’ Watson said of the Open Championship. “You can sense that. The regret that it’s over. It’s a little bit like death. The finality of the end is here.’’
As much as he’ll be remembered for his five Open victories, Watson might be more remembered for nearly winning in 2009 at Turnberry at age 59, before losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink.
“In 2009 at Turnberry, I scared a few of the kids that week,’’ Watson said. “They looked up on the board and they saw Watson, and they were thinking, ‘Well, that’s Bubba.’ It was a disappointment, but it was a week that I’ll always remember, being my age, being able to still compete against the kids, against the best, on a particular course that I knew how to play.
“And now it’s time for my final Open Championship here at St. Andrews. This will be it. 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 said of his final walk over the Swilcan Bridge on No. 18: “If it’s Friday, it’s Friday, and if it’s Sunday, it’s Sunday. I’ll be walking over the bridge with my son Michael on the bag, which will be a very special time.’’