Golf and ultras

What do golf and ultramarathons have in common?

Well, a single-day competition in either sport lasts many hours. And, perhaps not coincidentally, both are considered tremendously boring by most people. But general interest in golf is on the rise this week as 59-year-old Tom Watson continues to outplay the field at the British Open. He’s got a one-stroke lead heading into the final round. And that reminds me of a third similarity between the two sports: both are relatively well-suited to older athletes, some of whom occasionally defy the odds and beat everyone, youngsters included.

If Watson is able to hang on and win the Open, it will be a shocking and inspiring achievement. But golf, with its emphasis on patience and precision rather than power and speed, is one of the only sports in which a 59-year-old can even dream of such success. In fact, the only comparable example that comes to mind is Marco Olmo’s wins in 2006 and 2007 at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a prestigious 100-mile trail race in France. Olmo was 57 and 58 when he notched these victories.

Ultras may never receive regular television coverage or offer huge prize purses, as golf tournaments do. But if a marketing person wanted to increase the general public’s interest in elite ultramarathon racing, my advice to him or her would be to identify and publicize the captivating old-versus-young duels that occur on a somewhat regular basis.

In the meantime, I’ll be cheering for Tom Watson.