Mark O’Meara restored his pride after Thursday’s chastening start to his final Open, and didn’t have to be asked at the end.
“You guys have been around me for a long time, and you know (I think) this is the greatest championship,” said the 60-year-old 1998 champion after his par 70 to follow that first round 81.
“There are three other majors, but I truly believe that The Open Championship is the top of the list in my book. And the reason why it is because of what we witnessed today, the conditions are ever-changing around here.
“I felt the warmth of the crowd, obviously coming up the 18th hole. I’m not Tom Watson, I’m not Jack Nicklaus, I’m not Arnold Palmer, I’m just a guy who in ’98 was lucky to win the championship and hoist the Claret Jug, and be proclaimed Champion Golfer of the Year.”
O’Meara was most proud to have “hung in there and shot a quality score today”.
“There’s a little bit of life in the old dog,” he said. “I knew the cut was out of the equation, but I hit some good shots. Did I hit the ball great? No, if I had I’d be playing at the weekend.
“But I take into account all the kind of the blessings and all the great things that have happened to me, whether it’s making the cut last year at Troon and at St. Andrews in 2015, when I was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“And the times competing against guys coming down the stretch. I remember what I felt like in ’91 when I played with Ian Baker-Finch in the final group, watching him win the championship, and being happy for him because he’s a great guy.
“And then when I win in the playoff in `98 I’m in the clubhouse and get a tap on my shoulder and it’s Ian, and there’s a tear in his eye because I won seven years after he did.
“I’ll miss this championship, I can tell you that,” he concluded. “I’ll always watch it and be intrigued.”
