Tom Watson Undergoes Surgery After Go-Karting Accident

The 73-year-old Major winner had left shoulder replacement surgery after his go-kart rolled over at his farm in Kansas

Tom Watson following his left shoulder replacement surgery
(Image credit: Tom Watson/Twitter)
Mike Hall
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Tom Watson has had left shoulder replacement surgery following a go-kart accident at his farm in Kansas.

The 73-year-old posted an image of him sitting in bed with his left arm in a sling following the surgery last Friday in New Orleans. He also thanked his doctor and confirmed he wasn’t in pain, writing: #gokartrollover #leftshoulderreplacement #foryoungerguys Thank you to my doc Felix (Buddy) Savoie and his great team #nopain!” 

The accident happened the previous Monday when Watson's go-kart rolled over. It means he will miss next month’s PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, where he had been due to play alongside his son Michael. 

Watson is one of the game's greats, having amassed 39 wins on the PGA Tour between 1974 and 1998. He also won eight Majors during that time and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988. However, his appearances in tournaments have become increasingly sporadic. Indeed, this year he made just one PGA Tour Champions start at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, where he finished 41st in a field of 42. 

Watson also appeared as an honorary starter at the Masters in April alongside Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Most recently, in July, he competed in the R&A's Celebration of Champions at St Andrews before the start of the 150th Open. It is unclear when Watson will return to the course, but one target is likely to be the 2023 Masters as an honorary starter at Augusta National once again.

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Mike Hall
Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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