The Loop

'Even the Taliban are rooting for you'

July 29, 2009

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman is an avid golfer (a 4.7 at Caves Valley Golf Club, according to this Golf Digest account), who took more than a casual interest in Tom Watson's bid to win the British Open at 59.

When he advanced to the senior club championship at Caves Valley, Friedman sought match-play advice from Watson (see the same Golf Digest story). Friedman was in Afghanistan during the British Open and shot him an email before the final round: "Even the Taliban are rooting for you."

Friedman recounts the anecdote in his column today in the Times, which departs from politics and world affairs and takes on golf. Its headline: 59 is the New 30.

-- John Strege