Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

"It would have been a hell of a story, wouldn't it?"

Tom Watson summed things up perfectly in the immediate aftermath of his to provide us with the greatest script in the history of golf.

In deed and then in word, the 59-year-old master dictated the story line in this never-to-be-forgotten week at Turnberry.

As the corporate types dragged their trolleys down the first fairway on a cool and windswept morning after the week before, you knew they would be talking about one man - and it wasn't the champion.

, Turnberry 2009 will always been known as the "Watson Open", even though the five-time champion couldn't quite claim his record-equalling sixth Claret Jug.

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It is hard to know which was the rarer sight, pearly whites or the driver in his hands. It was a largely unsmiling, poker-faced world number one who was plotting his way during his Turnberry dawn patrol.

Just a handful of spectators were following, but his personal bodyguards and the police were in attendance, as Woods began his early morning recce. It was his second round at the having teed off when he arrived on Sunday.

It was head down, hands in pockets, straight-faced stuff. Time to work, but not necessarily grind - this was all about getting a feel for the course.

The driver was used sparingly. On the par 5 seventh (it's really a par 4 ΒΌ unless the wind switches dramatically) Woods tugged his drive left and Stevie was left with a search on his hands.

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It seems absurd that events in a different sport can influence another, but doesn't further shorten the odds on a Tiger Woods win at the Open?

Federer's record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title generated a congratulatory text from the Woods mobile just as soon as Tiger had wrapped up business in Bethesda where he enjoyed at the Congressional Country Club.

"We texted," said Woods. "He won the French and I won Memorial, so it was kind of let's do it on the same day, let's do it again today. That would be nice. His are a hell of a lot bigger than mine, though. He won two Slams and I won two Tour events. Hopefully I can get the majors now."

The two greatest individual sports stars of our time (who don't propel darts for a living) are big buddies. They have us believe their bond is down the unique insight they share on how to utterly dominate a global sport.

Their conversation topics must include how to keep the opposition down, the media at arms length and how to make sure the noughts keep being added to the sponsor contracts they share.

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