Cink Robs Watson of Storied Win

Tom Watson squandered a chance to become golf's oldest major champion today, as the 59-year-old American missed an 8-foot putt on the 72nd hole of the British Open, then lost a four-hole playoff to Stewart Cink. Cink won his first major title, but this one will be remembered as the one that Watson let get away when he had a historic victory in his grasp.

He looked his age after a bogey on the last hole of regulation left him tied with Cink at 2-under 278. Watson bogeyed the first playoff hole and totally fell apart at the third, the par-5 17th. An errant tee shot, two whacks to get out of the rough, and three putts left him with a double-bogey 7. It was over. Cink capped it with a birdie at No. 18, winning the playoff by a staggering, deflating six shots after a day filled with all sorts of drama.