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Watson ’ s Golf is Grounded but His Watson Links Program is Soaring
Two eight-week Watson Links programs are offered in the Kansas City area . Full details about this great program can be found online at www . watsonlinks . org . Kids or mentors wishing to sign up for the Watson Links program should email Rachel @ WatsonLinks . org .
A Watson Links mentor walks with kids to help teach skills or help in situations in which a youngster may have no knowledge .
( Photo contributed )
Tom Watson gets a high-five from one of the juniors in his Watson Links program now offered at nine Kansas City public courses and in five other cities . ( Photo by Hilary Fuller Images LLC .)
In addition to Kansas City , Watson Links programs are now offered in Wichita , KS ; Omaha , NE ; Sacramento , CA ; Indianapolis , IN ; and Savannah , GA . “ And another three locations are seriously interested and more to come ,” says Watson .
Watson has returned to the golf course on a very limited basis . He played in this year ’ s par 3 tournament at the Masters and in a 9-hole TV exhibition for the Folds of Honor with Lee Trevino , Annika Sorenstam , and Jack Nicklaus in Fort Worth . “ Jack didn ’ t play , rode in a cart , and commented ,” said Watson .
Playing less has not slowed recognition for Watson . Inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 , the Hall unveiled a bust of Watson that will be displayed on the Legends Walkway outside the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield . The unveiling came on May 19 , 2024 , with induction ceremonies at Union Station in Kansas City .
Watson was injured when he overturned a go-kart at his home in November 2022 . “ I wasn ’ t very smart ; like a dummy , I stuck my arm out to break the fall and fractured the heck out of my shoulder .” The mishap resulted in a total shoulder replacement , wrist surgery , and a second operation last December to clear up scar tissue and increase his range of motion . “ I do have more range of motion , but I don ’ t have the strength I had before . I play from the white tees now , not the blues .”
Back in November 2022 , Tom Watson tweeted this photo from his hospital room . At the time , with his left arm in a sling , he was in good spirits and said , “ We hope he ’ s back swinging clubs again very soon . He noted that go-karts are # foryoungerguys .
( Photo contributed )
The second surgery has also kept him away from his second passion , cutting horses , although he finally returned to competition at the end of April in a show in Graham , TX . “ I haven ’ t been able to work with cutting horses , but I have with cattle ,” says Watson , who hopes to return to full competition by early June .
His big goal — the Futurity for 3-year-old horses held in the Will Rogers Arena in Fort Worth , TX , in early October . “ It ’ s the Super Bowl , the World Series , and the Masters . We ’ ll have 300-400 riders in my class . I have a good 3-year-old I ’ ll ride . The idea is to get to the Top 20 , something I ’ ve not done ,” says Watson . A three-day event , there are two days of qualifying and then semifinals to get to the finals .
“ It ’ s a rush ,” he says . “ To turn a horse 100 degrees in a nanosecond , that ’ s a rush . To have your horse trained to prevent a cow from getting back to the herd — that ’ s fun . The kicker is once you separate the cow from the herd , you have to guide your horse without using the reins . The horse is trained , but sometimes you need your feet to put pressure , to sit down , or go quicker .”
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20 June 2024 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE