What would have been more remarkable had it happened: Tom Watson winning 2009 British Open or Beau Hossler winning 2012 US Open?

[Zonalefty80]

Obviously you know the 8 iron that went long for Watson at the 72nd hole. He was one bad bounce away from being a 59 year old Major Champion,

 

Beau Hossler at the time was a 17 year old amatuer who led the US Open midway through the 2nd round. Heading into Sunday he was in contention at +3.

 

If both these things had happened, which would you have found more impressive

[Rob G 89]

Watson easy if he wins they probably rename the claret jug after him 

[grm24]

Watson winning no doubt. Hossler didn't even finish as the low amateur in 2012. YJS did.

[dalehead]

I’m sure Beau Hossler appreciates you giving him some pub.

[iBanesto]

Watson easily.

 

He was gracious in defeat which shows a lot about the man.

 

[80sFredriksson]

I’m gonna go with Hossler, a 17 year old winning the us open would be more surprising to me

[mosesgolf]

Hossler 1 and done. 

C'mon 59 year old winning the world's biggest major?

Plus he was a legend to boot. 

I still can't believe that near perfect 8 iron shot from middle of fairway went over the green. 

 

[golfandfishing]

Watson for sure. Hostler winning was never going to happen. 

[80sFredriksson]

The question was what would be more remarkable ”had it happen”, that hossler was not close if anything would make it more remarkable had he won

[toc]

Put it in the context of any other sport. Would it be more impressive to see a 17 year old or a 59 year old throw a perfect game in the bigs, or throw for 400 yards in the super bowl?

[Hawkeye77]

🙄

[80sFredriksson]

Or put it this way would it be more remarkable for a 17 year old amateur that has not done that much after this to win a us open against a field of pros or for a 5 time the open champion to make it 6 wins in a sport where its common to stay competitive at least well into your 40s?

[80sFredriksson]

I would like to add that I would much prefer the Watson win given the choice of what I would have personally wanted to be true

[bladehunter]

To me it’s Beau.  Remarkable because it would be a bigger shock.  He’s no where near ready to win that.  

[tiderider]

17 yo winning a major would be up there with a 59 yo winning a major, in every respect ... 17 yo hasn't been around as long, and isn't supposed to know anything about that level ... 

[stingerfade]

I love humorous posts 

[Hawkeye77]

You can make up any "what if", this one is a little odd.  Watson had one hand on the Claret Jug, finished second.  Hossler . . . so he was up there a couple of days, he finished . . . . way back, never even a serious question he might have won and the low am who finished substantially higher, which is what counts . . . . YJS.  Cream rose to the top as far as the ams were concerned in that event. 

 

No comparison IMO.

[stingerfade]

2 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

You can make up any "what if", this one is a little odd.  Watson had one hand on the Claret Jug, finished second.  Hossler . . . so he was up there a couple of days, he finished . . . . way back, never even a serious question he might have won and the low am who finished substantially higher, which is what counts . . . . YJS.  Cream rose to the top as far as the ams were concerned in that event. 

 

No comparison IMO.

I think we have found hosslers account on golfwrx

[Hawkeye77]

4 minutes ago, stingerfade said:

I think we have found hosslers account on golfwrx

@Ferguson may be able to trace it to his mom!

 

It is too bad that he had the injury that affected his career a bit at the start (maybe it still does), and he had the one good finish (was happy for Poulter, though).  I'm sure it's not the career he was hoping for - so far.

[gvogel]

5 hours ago, golfandfishing said:

Watson for sure. Hostler winning was never going to happen. 

Of course.  That's why it would have been more remarkable.

 

(I'm a big Tom Watson fan.)

[golfandfishing]

Just now, gvogel said:

Of course.  That's why it would have been more remarkable.

 

(I'm a big Tom Watson fan.)

I guess so, a 17 year old winning the US Open would have indeed been incredible. I wonder if that shoulder injury Hossler had at the NCAA was his doom?

[Fairway14]

10 hours ago, Zonalefty80 said:

Obviously you know the 8 iron that went long for Watson at the 72nd hole. He was one bad bounce away from being a 59 year old Major Champion,

 

Beau Hossler at the time was a 17 year old amatuer who led the US Open midway through the 2nd round. Heading into Sunday he was in contention at +3.

 

If both these things had happened, which would you have found more impressive

Tom Watson.

[Shakespeare]

7 hours ago, mosesgolf said:

Hossler 1 and done. 

C'mon 59 year old winning the world's biggest major?

Plus he was a legend to boot. 

I still can't believe that near perfect 8 iron shot from middle of fairway went over the green. 

 

It was such a great shot......I don't know if he dwelled on it in the playoff...but I still do!

[Fairway14]

A bit off top topic but at the 1998 British Open 17 year old Justin Rose finished tied for fourth place, 2 shots behind Mark OMeara.

 

1998 British Open Scores

p-Mark O'Meara, $492,000	72-68-72-68-280
Tiger Woods, $221,400	65-73-77-66-281
Jesper Parnevik, $125,733	68-72-72-70-282
Jim Furyk, $125,733	70-70-72-70-282
a-Justin Rose	72-66-75-69-282

 

 

[jimb]

Watson winning would have been more remarkable.  What was remarkable, and perhaps cruel, was who beat him.  Cink is a nice guy and a very skillful player, but you don't think of Cink as an Open contender.  In fact, that Open was his only major win to date.  Watson hit a perfect shot on that last hole of regulation and got a horrendous bounce as I recall into a bunker over the green.  Actually, it was a three putt there that sunk him.  That win by Watson would have been awesome.

[stingerfade]

8 minutes ago, jimb said:

Watson winning would have been more remarkable.  What was remarkable, and perhaps cruel, was who beat him.  Cink is a nice guy and a very skillful player, but you don't think of Cink as an Open contender.  In fact, that Open was his only major win to date.  Watson hit a perfect shot on that last hole of regulation and got a horrendous bounce as I recall into a bunker over the green.  Actually, it was a three putt there that sunk him.  That win by Watson would have been awesome.

No bunker just a poor chip and short 4 footer looking like a 20 handicapper. Have to love the presser after when he sits down, everyone’s quiet and he says, “nobody died” haha  Not a big fan of Tom Watson the man but loved his game 

 

[Fairway14]

15 minutes ago, jimb said:

Watson winning would have been more remarkable.  What was remarkable, and perhaps cruel, was who beat him.  Cink is a nice guy and a very skillful player, but you don't think of Cink as an Open contender.  In fact, that Open was his only major win to date.  Watson hit a perfect shot on that last hole of regulation and got a horrendous bounce as I recall into a bunker over the green.  Actually, it was a three putt there that sunk him.  That win by Watson would have been awesome.

On the 72nd hole Watson hit 8-iron but had he hit 9-iron he likely would have won the tournament.

 

 

[jimb]

25 minutes ago, stingerfade said:

No bunker just a poor chip and short 4 footer looking like a 20 handicapper. Have to love the presser after when he sits down, everyone’s quiet and he says, “nobody died” haha  Not a big fan of Tom Watson the man but loved his game 

 

Yeah, just watched a video someone posted.  It seemed to me at the time the ball took an unusual bounce forward with his approach and went long.  Memory fades over time I guess because there was no bunker.  Watson used the rule that your worst putt will be better than your best chip so he putted that next shot.  Rules are meant to be broken :).  The ball was up against taller grass.  I remember Watson in his prime.  He used to hammer short ones in the back of the cup.  That ability faded over time.

[LifeStory]

The answer is a simple one really, and it's beau hossler. It's been proven by quite a few older guys that winning at the highest level is possible at nearly any senior age, assuming one's physical and mental faculties are in order. However, a kid in the modern era has never even sniffed a chance at winning a major, and rightfully so. It's unchartered territory to say the least. 

Something just doesn't mentally compute when you visualize a kid in grade 12 at the most standing next 
to the us open trophy. Like a glitch in the matrix.

 

Now that'd be somethin.

 

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by LifeStory

[puttingmatt]

Watson would have been more remarkable,

But without the win .........  The Open is more about Stewart Cink