The Loop

An appearance fee for an old guy?

January 03, 2010

OK, so Tom Watson, 60, is only old relative to the competition. But what a remarkable turn his career has taken by virtue of his improbable bid to win the British Open last summer? Indeed, who could have predicted that his name would again have marquee value on the world stage?

Watson, according to this Associated Press report, will play in the Dubai Desert Classic, a European Tour event in early February. It's safe to assume he didn't just arbitrarily decide to fly half-way around the world for a golf tournament, that there was financial incentive to do so. The Dubai Desert Classic is known for paying generous appearance fees.

Good for him. Good for Dubai, too. And good for everyone to know that a game whose primary color is green still has room for some gray.

-- John Strege