Tom Watson’s legendary status only continues to grow.

The native of Kansas City, Mo., has won eight major championships in his illustrious PGA Tour career. And he is arguably the greatest links player in the modern era of golf, winning the British Open five times and the Senior British Open three times.

One of Watson’s most famous moments came last year when, at age 59, he captivated the golf world in the British Open at Turnberry by holding the lead through the tournament’s first 71 holes.

Only a bogey on the final regulation hole, and an ensuing playoff loss to Stewart Cink, prevented Watson from winning his sixth Claret Jug and becoming the oldest golfer ever to win a major PGA Tour championship.

Now 60, Watson is still competitive with the best golfers in the world. So far this year he has finished in a tie for 18th place at the Masters and in a tie for 29th at the U.S. Open.

His total of 39 PGA Tour wins ranks tied for 10th all time with Gene Sarazen, and in 1988 Watson was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

He has won five Champions Tour major championships since joining the senior circuit in 1999.

Watson limits his play on the Champions Tour: He has not played more than 13 tournaments on the Champions Tour in a single season since 2003. But when he plays, he usually contends — including this year, when he has finished in the top 10 four times in seven tries.

In January, Watson earned his 13th career Champions Tour win when he birdied the final two holes of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai to beat Fred Couples by one stroke.

Watson won the 2003 Jeld-Wen Tradition, the first year the tournament was played in Oregon. And he has finished no worse than sixth place in the three Traditions held at Sunriver Resort’s Crosswater Club.

— Zack Hall