PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — When they see the man with the gap-toothed grin and giant polo insignia on his sweater, they holler stuff like: "Do it for the baby boomers!" and "Come on, win one for the old guys!"
Tom Watson, at 60, less than a year removed from nearly winning the British Open, has become a cause.
"It has been a good run," he said.
Watson didn't want that run to end Friday. This is his 31st U.S. Open and likely to be his last. He's the only man to compete in all five Pebble Beach Opens — 1972, '82 (which he won), '92, '00 and '10.
Sure, he's from Kansas City. But Pebble has all but become his home course.
"He relishes being here," said Michael Watson, his son and caddie.
Both Watsons figured Tom would have to shoot no worse than even-par 71 after an ugly 78 on Thursday. They believed the best two-round score would be 3-under, allowing them to make the cut via the USGA's 10-shot rule.
A second-round birdie on No. 15 got Watson to 6-over, but he gave it back by missing an 8-footer on the par-3 17th.
Michael suggested a 7-iron for Tom's approach on 18, and "I should have listened to him. The ego took over."
Watson came up short and, one shot later, had a 4-footer for par.
"That's my gag zone," Watson said.
But he stroked it pure for a two-day tally of 7-over par.
"Pull for 3-under, will you?" he said just before leaving the interview room.
The golf gods listened, allowing Watson's run to continue through the weekend and on Saturday he carded a 1-under 70 to put him at 6-over for the tourney.
Watson played Thursday and Friday with 21-year-old Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, who won't turn 19 until September.
"Very special," McIlroy called the experience. "He got a standing ovation on pretty much every green."
McIlroy said it was easy to tell how much Pebble means to Watson.
"The holes along the water, you could see him looking out into the distance and probably reflecting on a great career," he said.
When he wasn't playing or reflecting, Watson spent Friday studying Ishikawa's putting stroke — the master learning from the Karate Kid.
"I'm always trying to learn from somebody who does something better than me," Watson said. "He putts the way I used to — (before the) fried nerves."
Watson is playing on a special exemption. Proving they have a heart — not to mention a nose for a good story — USGA officials took into account his runner-up finish last year at Turnberry.
"He was eight feet away from gaining a five-year exemption into the U.S. Open," noted USGA President Jim Hyler, referring to Watson's par attempt on the 72nd green.
Watson developed a love for Pebble while studying at Stanford. His father, Raymond, who served in World War II after two years at Stanford Law School, also played here and told his son that Nos. 8, 9 and 10 constituted the best consecutive par-4s in the world.
"I beg anyone to challenge that," Tom Watson said.
Watson's first round at Pebble came in 1967 at age 17. The greens fee, he recalled, was "15 bucks" and he and his dad were paired with comic actress Imogene Coca and husband/actor King Donovan.
"King Donovan had probably played golf about once in his life," he said. "Imogene was not bad; she could get it around. I know I didn't break 80."
Forty-three years later, Watson still is playing Pebble Beach. That par on 18 bought him another two days.
Come to think of it, maybe Sunday won't be the end. The U.S. Open will return here in 2019 for Pebble's 100th anniversary.
Might Watson try to give the Baby Boomers one last thrill?
"That," Michael said, "would be a stretch."