Tom Watson, 59, made history by becoming the oldest player to lead a major in his extraordinary performance at the 2009 British Open. In an event it appeared he’d win -- after having the lead in two of the three final days, including going into the last hole on the last day, it all come down to club choice … can you say 9-iron, please? To think that one of the most glorious sports stories was almost in our hands and slipped away -- likely due to that powerful, physiologically produced hormone called adrenaline, was definitely a heart-breaker, and one for the ages.

Whether it was the missed eight foot putt on 18, or more likely, the eight iron shot that was right on the stick but unfortunately ran long. Watson (and the millions of us watching and rooting him on) will likely look back at this British Open as both one of his greatest accomplishments, but without question, one of his greatest disappointments, too.

This was more than just a sports story -- it was front-page news in many newspapers, including USA Today. And while much of the focus was on Watson’s age, maybe more attention should have been on what can be achieved, regardless of age.

Watson’s a fit, athletic man, who at age 59, likely has the physiological make up of an age considerably younger than his mere chronological age. As a 5-time British Open champion, not only is he a great golfer, he’s an extraordinary links player. And it’s no coincidence that just last year, Greg Norman, at 53, made a serious run at this title, too. Links golf offers that -- its style of play is more about finesse than just all-mighty power.

But stories like these always bring up the age factor because accomplishing feats after one’s prime is as unusual as it is inspiring. Yet when you talk about it with the athletes directly, they often gristle a bit, as age is not something they want to focus on because they don’t really even think about it. And if they do, they don’t think about their age as a handicap, but rather they are more inclined to believe it’s an advantage because experience can only come with age. The truth is, they’re just out there doing their thing, and while they know they may be older than their competitors, they still believe they can win, or they wouldn’t be there in the first place.

The exciting thing is, we are going to continue hearing inspiring stories of people accomplishing amazing feats regardless of age, and they won’t just be in the sports world.  As we learn more and more about the aging process, we discover that it is possible to slow down, and even reverse many of the age-related aspects we just accept as being as is. In fact, much of one’s limitation starts with our beliefs. So as we discover what’s really possible with age, we begin to recognize that it’s likely a combination of many factors -- lifestyle, mindset, and even technology, which play equally powerful roles. Medically, scientifically, and technologically, we are breaking new ground toward achieving things we never thought possible.

But all of this can only be done with the human spirit, and Tom Watson’s story will always reminds us that age is just a number.

Kelly Ferrin, gerontologist and author of “What’s Age Got To Do With It? Secrets to Aging in Extraordinary Ways” has been studying aging and retirement issues for over 25 years. She was one of the first to ever receive a degree in this field from the prestigious Andrus School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, the top school in the nation for age-related studies.

website: kellyferrin.com ••• email: ageangel@earthlink.net