European Tour Insider: Ageless Watson continues to impress

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Tom Watson and his wife Hilary hopped on the top of a friendly camel during their trip to Dubai.

Oliver Wilson's tweet came shortly after he finished his final round in the OMEGA Dubai Desert Classic.

"I was really pleased as I finished my round, birdie the last moved up about 40 spots at the weekend, then realized a 60-year (old) has done me by 2!"

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It wasn't long before he composed another. "Yes you guys are right! Not any 60-year-old, Tom is an absolute legend."

Tom Watson, an eight-time major champion, caused Open-style ripples on his first visit to the Emirates last week when he tied for eighth.

The event has become one of the most lauded on the European Tour and a must-play tournament so early in the year. It was in its 21st staging, so it was all the more surprising that Watson hadn't made an appearance before. Yet after his Turnberry turn, the organizers knew he'd help draw in the numbers in the absence of Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, and he rivaled defending champion Rory McIlroy in much of the pre-publicity.

Watson didn't disappoint. Despite initial misgivings on how he might perform over a track he'd never played before, he showed "the kids" how to do it and upstaged many of them in the process.

Rest assured Wilson was showing no disrespect. He was just expressing the same immediate incredulity that most of us voiced last summer. In a sport that seems to be producing a regular supply of young tyros showing maturity beyond their years, it's simply marvelous to watch a master who's age doesn't appear to weary him.

QUIROS QUERY

The huge-hitting Spaniard Alvaro Quiros played alongside Watson for the first two days. Actually, that's not quite correct. He played a multitude of meters further up the fairway. And yet who fared better?

That's open to debate. Quiros was surprised Watson laid up so often, and yet soon saw the reason why.

"He's a very clever player," said the former Qatar Masters champion, noting that Watson laid up "on the 10th with an iron, and I was thinking why not be closest to the flag. He made birdie."

"What did you make?" he was asked.

"I make 5. This is why I have to learn a lot from him."

Watson later was asked his opinion of the young Spaniard. "He takes a little bit more risk than I would be taking if I were him out on the golf course," he ventured.

"There are certain holes that I would not be taking the driver out if I were him; it causes some problems, maybe the shorter holes where he feels like he has to drive it up by the green. But the rough is so tough, I would advise him maybe to lay up a couple of holes there."

The 27-year-old Quiros has vowed to get smarter and curb his swashbuckling approach. "If I have club to hit to the green, I will hit it every single time," he said. "It's stupid, and this is what I'm learning."

AUTOGRAPH PLEASE

Watson wowed just about everyone in Dubai, but one fellow pro was arguably wowed even more.

OMEGA European Masters champion Alex Noren was as awed as Ollie Wilson, saying "incredible, unbelievable" when registering the five-time Open champion's finishing position and adding "he beat the crap out of me."

The 27-year-old Swede had met the great man on the eve of the tournament, but admits he didn't say a lot when getting an Open flag autographed.

He wrote in his blog: "Never been so nervous before. Went up to Tom Watson in the locker room to try to get his signature on this flag. I felt like 10 again asking for golf balls at the 18th green in the Compaq Open tournament in Sweden."

A VINTAGE RIOJA

There's also an agelessness about the man who eventually won in Dubai.

Miguel Angel Jimenez arguably looks older than his 46 years, but with the unruly ponytail and his love of fine living, there's an eternal youthfulness.

Maybe the infectious enthusiasm is why the majority of his 16 European Tour wins have come since his 40th birthday. Or maybe it's simply the maturity that fellow countryman Quiros is searching for.

Dubai is a new city, vibrant and youthful, but it also has a reputation for trumpeting the return of former chart-topping bands to satisfy its ex-pat fraternity. Like Deep Purple, Mark Knopfler and Status Quo, Jimenez and Watson show that they've still got the music in them.

Jimenez has three Ryder Cup appearances to his name, and you can see him making Colin Montgomerie's team if he continues to be on song.

EAST & WEST

Most of the top European Tour stars are now making their way to the United States to prepare for the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Ian Poulter had already gone back to his Florida home after playing in Doha, though the Super Bowl wasn't really his thing: "I couldn't even tell you who is playing," he tweeted.

It'll be a strong contingent of Europe's best playing in Arizona, though it's a little less impressive to see the line up for the next European event, the Avantha Masters in India.

Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke and David Howell head up the field along with India's star performer Jeev Milkha Singh (who's thrilled to just become a dad at the age of 38, two years after his wife suffered a miscarriage).

An Indian Masters took place on the Tour two years ago, though the event was shelved last term. India is a fast-growing economy like China, and golf is the fastest growing sport in the country. The tournament is finding its feet and will surely grow in coming years.

Its venue has changed since the first staging, moving to the DLF Golf & Country Club which staged the Johnnie Walker Classic in 2008 won by New Zealander Mark Brown.

Nick Dye is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.