When there is talk about great golfers, conversation usually centers on physical skills such as a powerful swing or steady putting hands. Tom Watson is different. His best weapon is his mind. No less a rival than Jack Nicklaus describes Watson thusly : "Tom's mental attitude may set him apart from everybody else I've got to beat. He's the strongest thinker of the lot."

The 5'9", 160 lb Watson, a graduate of Stanford University, demurs. "I don't think I'm the best", he says. "I'm far and away from being a shot maker like Ben Hogan or Sam Snead or Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer, but I'm trying to improve. I don't ever want to lose the feeling of trying to improve." In 1976, Watson was well down the list of money winners, placing 12th with $138,202. Then in 1977, he dethroned Nicklaus as the top money earner with his total soaring to $ 310,653. More importantly, he defeated Nicklaus by a single stroke to win the prestigious British Open, then bested the Golden Bear by two strokes to take the Masters Tournament. Watson also triumphed in the Bing Crosby pro-Am, the Andy Williams-San Diego Open and the Western Open. In 1978, he started like a house on fire, successfully defending his Crosby title and two weeks later capturing the Tucson Open.

Watson tries to keep it all in perspective, knowing that it took him a few years to get to the top, but realizing the trip down could be a lot faster. "I'm still learning", he says. "Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan, they managed courses so well, that's what I'm learning to do—to manage the course. I don't always use my driver off the tee now. I hit my 3-wood off the tee sometimes to help me manage the course." He still practices and sometimes can be found hitting a bucket of balls on a driving range before a big tournament. "Tempo is my biggest problem", he feels. "I try to practice more on my tempo to create the proper swing plane than practice the swing itself. When my tempo is right, my swing plane is right. To me, the initial movement on the backswing is the key to that tempo."

TOM WATSON Born 1950, in Kansas City, Mo.

AWARDS AND RECORDS
Leading money winner, 1977
British Open champion, 1977
Masters champion, 1977
Crosby National Pro-Am champion, 1977-78

Photo: Watson's mind is always at work, no matter where he is on the course