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Watson playing final Senior Open, 'can't compete'

Tom Watson will not take part in the U.S. Senior Open or the Senior Open Championship after this year, he announced Saturday.

"I can't compete against these guys anymore," said Watson, a three-time Senior Open champion and five-time winner of the Open Championship during his Hall of Fame career.

In his 18 appearances, he has never missed the cut.

"I've thought quite long and hard about the decision I've made," Watson said. "It has to do with really a pretty sensible assessment of how I play the game now. I don't have the tools in the toolbox. I've mentioned that before, that sometimes you lose the tools in the toolbox. I just don't have enough tools in the toolbox to really compete successfully."

Watson, 69, shot a 2-over 72 on Saturday and is tied for 55th at 6-over. He sits 11 shots back of leader Paul Broadhurst.

He is one of only three golfers to have won both the Senior Open and the Open Championship, where he triumphed five times. Watson also said he won't play the U.S. Senior Open again though he was not planning to retire completely.

"I'm basically declaring now that this is my last Open Championship, Senior Open Championship," Watson said. "And I'm also going to hang up the spikes in the U.S. Senior Open."

In June, Watson finished his 17th U.S. Senior Open at 2-under 278 by closing with a 68. It was the third time in that edition he had shot his age or better.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.