• Open Championship

'Old guy' Watson savours 'lucky' hole-in-one

Tom Watson saluted the crowd after the 15th ace of his illustrious career © Getty Images

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Tom Watson described the 15th hole-in-one of his career as 'lucky', after he found the cup from the tee at the 163-yard sixth hole during his second round on Friday.

The five-time winner of the Open Championship hit a low shot into the wind that bounced once before jumping into the hole, leading to a rapturous reception from the watching gallery and a roar that could be head across the course.

Watson, however, admitted he didn't actually see the ball drop in the cup due to the contours of the hole.

"I didn't see it go in, I just saw it on the replay," Watson said. "It was a slam dunk. If it missed the flag it would've been 30 feet by. But it was lucky. They're all lucky when they go in ... but that's what I was aiming at."

With reporters keen to know the club the American used for the shot - his second ace in a major championship, the first coming at the 1980 US Open at Baltusrol - Watson admitted that he had needed to take a little more than some of his younger playing partners.

"I hit a four-iron. It was into the wind about 160 yards," he said. "Old guys hit four-irons 160 yards into the wind. The kids are hitting six-irons."

When asked what he did with the golf ball he used for the shot, Watson said: "I gave it to my wife."

After finishing his round two-over for the tournament, Watson should qualify for the final two rounds unless the later starters light up the scoreboard. After coming close to winning the major two years ago at Turnberry, the 61-year-old still fancies his chances should the weather take a turn for the worse.

"If my putting was a little bit better, I'd give myself at least an outside chance, let's put it that way," he said. "I guess I refuse to be a ceremonial player, and when that time comes I'll hang them up."

Watson completed his second round with amateur Tom Lewis, who ended the day one-under after a round of 74.

"I think if you asked me two days ago I would have taken it [one-under], but at the moment it doesn't feel so good," Lewis said. "Four-over is not a great score, but the way I hit it and the way I felt on the greens today was terrible. But I'm only three back."

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