Watson experience Saturday at Mozingo was ‘priceless’

Phil Cobb

I’ve had the good fortune of getting to do some pretty cool things related to sports throughout my life.

Most, but not all, were because of my dad’s connections with the Kansas City Royals.

If you’re a regular reader of this column, you know that I have one of Royals Hall of Fame second baseman Frank White’s gloves.

I also have one of National Baseball Hall of Famer George Brett’s bats, and one of former Royals catcher and manager John Wathan’s catcher’s mitts.

I’ve been in the Kauffman Stadium press box, in the clubhouse, in the dugout, and on the field, not during a stadium tour or some promotional event, but actually among the players and coaches as they were preparing for, and even after, some real games.

I’ve stood — with my dad — on the field at Kauffman Stadium with Brett and former Boston Red Sox National Baseball Hall of Famer Wade Boggs during batting practice.

I’ve met New York Yankees National Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Phil “Scooter” Rizutto in the Kauffman Stadium pressbox.

White once came to my office for a one-on-one interview.

I was at Game 7 of the 1985 World Series.

I was at the Wild Card game in 2014 that launched the Royals toward their first World Series in 29 years, and I saw them clinch the American League pennant in 2014, and again in 2015.

Not everything has been related to baseball, however.

I grew up in the same town as St. Louis Cardinals’ National Football Hall of Famer Roger Wehrli

When I was about 8 years old, I remember going to his parent’s house and playing catch with him and his kids. I even have a picture with him from that day.

I’d say that as sports memories go, I’ve had more than my fair share.

I’m not writing all of this to brag,

I’m telling you this to give some perspective on what I’m about to write.

I think what I witnessed Saturday from World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson at the dedication of the Watson 9 at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park was about the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in sports.

It wasn’t played out in front of a national stage.

There was relatively little hoopla involved.

Watson wasn’t paid an appearance fee.

He showed up by himself, driving his own vehicle, and left by himself, driving his own vehicle.

I didn’t see any television trucks or major national sponsors, other than a couple of small insignias on his sweater and his golf bag.

Watson was there because he wanted to be — and he at least appeared to be having as much or more fun than any of the 300 or so people in attendance.

He never seemed rushed or hurried or agitated during the nearly non-stop requests for autographs and photo opportunities throughout the day.

He didn’t have any “handlers” keeping the crowd at bay.

The gallery ropes on the course turned into more of a suggestion than a barrier.

One woman even stopped him as he was walking up the fairway between shots during the inaugural round on the course.

Even that didn’t seem to bother Watson one bit.

He just stopped, signed the autograph, and even posed for a photo with the fan’s family.

I hope everyone who was a part of this understands that they witnessed something that just doesn’t happen.

I spent the day trying to put the whole thing into perspective, and I just wasn’t — and still haven’t — been able to do it.

I don’t think it’s even possible for the children in attendance to understand the magnitude of what they saw.

Local dentist Brian Vierthaler said he was trying to explain it to his young son.

He started by saying it would be like Steph Curry coming to town, but then realized that Curry has only been at the top of his sport for a short time.

I guess the closest thing would be if six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan designed a new basketball arena for Maryville Parks and Recreation’s Sizzling Summer Hoops, and then came to town for an entire day to put on a basketball camp as part of its dedication.

But that would obviously never happen.

Watson was once considered THE greatest golfer in the world, and he was one of the greatest golfers in the world for at least a couple of decades.

He was part of one of the greatest golf showdowns in the history of major championship golf when he went head-to-head with Jack Nicklaus in the 1977 British Open.

The two were tied after 36 holes, then Nicklaus shot a 65/66 on the final 36 holes.

But Watson shot 65/65 and won the second of his five Open titles.

He also won The Masters twice and the U.S. Open once.

He has won 71 times overall as a professional golfer.

Before turning pro, he won the Missouri State Amateur championship four times between 1967 and 1971

He also spent about six hours at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park in Maryville, Missouri, Saturday for no other reason than because he obviously wanted to.

Watson is known for saying — and he said it more than once Saturday — that “golf is the game of a lifetime.”

At least in my mind, Tom Watson just made a golf memory of a lifetime in Maryville, and it sounds like he’s just getting started.