Thirty-one years ago at Troon, Tom Weiskopf won his only major. Then he lost his desire. He drank too much, squandered his talent... and became a happy man
How did you work on your game?
There were two football fields back to back where I used to practice, so I had more than 200 yards to play with. I'd only hit iron shots. There was also a par-3 course I could ride my bike to down the lane. I was obsessed, and I loved it. I was still an easygoing guy then. I was happy if I played well but not unhappy if I didn't. People were helpful with advice, and I was able to accept help.
When did you stop loving golf?
After my second year at Ohio State—at exactly the time I decided to quit school and turn pro. I couldn't stand being asked why I didn't have Nicklaus's discipline and patience and course management skills. I couldn't stand any shot I struck that fell short of perfection. I couldn't forgive myself for mistakes. And I continued to feel the same way until I quit the Tour when I was 40.
Why?
I had wonderful parents, but I never had any direction. I never had a deep or close relationship with my father. He was a very shy guy, a very religious guy. I was an altar boy until I was a freshman at Ohio State, but once I left home I found out about drinking, partying and girls.
Didn't you find out about drinking in your own home?
Alcohol never had a positive effect on me or my dad. It left me angry and sometimes impaired my judgment. Now that I haven't had a drink in five years I see this clearly. My dad was a hard-working guy, a train master on the railroad, and he got drunk because he got upset when he had to fire people. I could always tell when he had fired someone. He would get drunk and fall asleep on the couch.
Didn't he fire his best friend just before the friend would have received his pension money?
That's when he became drunk all of the time. My dad was drunk, my mom let me get away with everything, and that's why I loved hanging with the guys—because they provided direction. "Why did you do that, Tom? Gee, you're a dumb s--t, Tom." It was like a town hall meeting. That's where I got some love. My friends gave me a lot of help. That's why I liked hanging out with them. With the guys, the boys. I appreciated that.
It took your dad's dying to get you to play the best golf of your career.
I always felt that when someone close to me died this light would come on. I would wonder why I let that person down, and then I would have a plan, a reason to practice. I had my best year in 1973 because my dad died and I wanted to show him how good I could be.
Why didn't your desire for greatness last more than one season?
I had a chance to win 11 times in 1973 and won seven. I win Colonial, and then I win again, and then I go to play Troon in the British Open and I'm just so confident, and I won there. But the whole thing is not what I thought it would be. You're too much in the fishbowl. I felt like I had accomplished what I wanted to. Where's your privacy? Too many interviews, too many distractions. It was great, but I didn't want to do all the work it would take to do it again. Reaching my goals once was good enough. I didn't care anymore. I know people think that's a cop-out, but that really was enough for me. I was not a great player.
Were you close?
The word great is misused. Snead and Hogan and Nicklaus and Player—they were great. I was close. Had I won a few more majors and a lot more tournaments then I would have been great. I was right there with any of them as a striker of the ball. But it doesn't just get down to ball striking.
Tell me about winning at Troon for your only major.
The course was so hard and fast, and I was confused about how to play it when I first arrived. I was hitting a lot of 1- and 2-irons off of tees and into the greens in practice. The dry conditions neutralized my long game. Then on Tuesday it started to rain, and I was able to take advantage of my strengths. I was driving the ball so long and so straight that even my misses weren't far off line. I played a very aggressive game all week. I'm excited about going back there this year. You are always their Open champion when you win there. There is no more wonderful a reaction in all of golf for a former Open champion than the walk up the 18th hole each day. The Scots have been great to me.
What made you decide to play the Open at Troon again this summer?
The last time I played the Open at Troon, I three-putted from 33 feet on the last hole to miss the cut. I was devastated. My friends started suggesting during the 2003 Christmas holidays that this might be the last time I could play the Open at Troon. I'll be the oldest player in the field, I suppose. But winning the Open has meant so much and given me so much. It's the most prestigious championship in golf. I would regret it if I didn't go back.
Wised Up 
