He won his fourth title here in 1982 and finished fourth in 1989, only two strokes out of a play-off. Since then, his many admirers in these islands have hoped in vain that Tom Watson might somehow manage to strike gold, just one more time.
It's hard not to admire the man's resilience as he fights a frail putting stroke. And he is back in the hunt again this week with an admirable opening 71 yesterday, after being three-under for the opening nine.
As the holder of five British Open titles, equalling the achievement of James Braid, J H Taylor and Peter Thomson, Watson was asked what it would mean to him to win it for a sixth time. "Move over Harry," he grinned, in a reference to the record, six-time champion, Harry Vardon.
This is the American's 22nd British Open and his first since he shared 31st place behind fellow countryman John Daly at St Andrews in 1995: he was unable to compete last year because of a shoulder injury. Since making a winning debut at Carnoustie in 1975, he has shot 27 sub-70 rounds, a total surpassed by only Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo.
One such score, albeit a rather low one, would have secured him that elusive sixth title at Turnberry in 1994. Level with Nick Price on 202 after 54 holes, Watson carried the hopes of millions into a pulsating final round. Sadly, the blade failed him once more, and where the Zimbabwean shot a winning 66, he slumped to a 74 and a share of 11th place.
Meanwhile, over the years, Watson became a supreme craftsman at battling the wind. "It's sort of like playing the Chicago Bulls, where you know they're going to be coming back at you at the end of the game," he said. "When you play the Bulls, you need a 20 to 30-point lead and then you hang on for dear life."
He went on: "That's the way you play this golf course. You get off to a good start, the downwind holes, because turning back into the wind, you're going to have your work cut out."
In terms of a level-par score, Watson did the job to perfection. A sandwedge to 25 feet gave him a three at the first, and, after huge drives of 344 yards and 387 yards, he had further birdies at the long fourth and sixth holes. So, he reached the turn in 33.
Then the fun started. Indeed much of the old Watson skill was in evidence, particularly with 190yard one-iron shots and precise wedge play, as he battled for survival on the homeward journey. Drilling the ball into the elements with that wonderfully simple swing, he succeeded in keeping errors down to a reasonable figure, with bogeys at the 10th, 13th and 17th.
A closing par was typical Watson. From a drive in the right rough at the 18th, he hit a two iron recovery into a bunker on the left. From there, he recovered to eight feet and nursed the ball into the cup for a wonderfully scrambled four.
"I didn't hit many greens in regulation," he admitted with a rueful grin. "But at least I had opportunities to pitch the ball." Then, in a lesson to those who would aspire to his supremacy of this event, Watson concluded: "I didn't put myself out of play."
