2011 British Open Leaderboard: Don't Look Now, but Tom Watson Is a Contender

Tom Watson is Creeping Into the 2011 British Open Leaderboard

The last two days I thought I had been watching British Open Golf. But, as I turned on my TV Saturday morning, I realized that what I had been watching was most certainly not British Open Golf. This thought occurred to me when I found myself looking for something to wipe off my TV screen.

Had it not been so ridiculously early in the morning, the thought probably would have dawned on me that it as not rain drops on my TV I was looking at, but rain drops on the TV cameras.

Anyways, as common sense flowed back into my head, I was flooded by memories of past British Opens. It is not the British Open until you try in vain to squint through the blurriness and pixalating rain drops on the lenses of the TV cameras. 

It is not the British until golfers look miserable as they shiver, wipe rain from their brows and struggle to remain upright in the high winds. It is not the British until the galleries are wrapped in plastic like the furniture at my grandparents house. It is not the British until the only golfer on the course under par for the day is Tom Watson.

And that is exactly what we have on Saturday at the 2011 British Open at Royal St. George's. Well all except the Watson part. That part has faded to the past tense. Watson was the only golfer under par for the tournament, but now no one is. Watson has slid to 1-over through 16 holes, which is still a remarkably amazing score for this three W's day at the British Open: wet, windy and wild.

Watson's success at the British is well documented and amazing. Once he gets to the links courses of this major tournament, the man is ageless. This has turned him into a huge fan favorite. Tom Watson loves the British Open and the British Open loves Tom Watson back.

Watson is currently seven shots back from the leaders, but his 3-over for the tournament is starting to look better as he is about to hit the clubhouse.

The rain is expected to stop, but the winds are expected to increase, which means we can expect the scores to go up, up, up. This is going to bring the field back to Watson.

If Watson can hold onto that 3-over par, it is very likely that Watson will begin the day within five shots of the lead. That is still a big deficit to make up on the final day, but with even worse conditions expected on Sunday, you have to like Watson's chances. He is the only golfer that seems to play better as the conditions get worse.

Golfer	Score
T1. Darren Clarke	-4
T1. Lucas Glover	-4
T3. Chad Capmbell	-3
T3. Thomas Bjorn	-3
T3. Martin Kaymer	-3
T3. Miguel Angel Jimenez	-3
T7. Pablo Larrazabal	-2
T7. Charl Schwartzel	-2
T7. Davis Love III	-2
T7. Tom Lehman	-2
T7. George Coetzee	-2
T7. Tom Lehman	-2
T7. Dustin Johnson	-2

For continuous coverage of the 2011 British Open and all things golf keep it locked toBleacher Report's Golf Page.

Maria Bello Jennifer Gareis Ashlee Simpson Donna Feldman Jodi Lyn OKeefe