Three times a winner during a 2018 season that saw him return to the American Ryder Cup team, having served as a vice-captain to Davis Love III two years earlier.
In 2012 he became the third left-hander to win The Masters, beating Louis Oosthuizen in a play-off remembered for his brilliant recovery from the trees at the second extra hole.
A second success at Augusta National came two years later when he finished three clear of Jordan Spieth and Jonas Blixt. Later in 2014 he captured a first World Golf Championship in China, holing out for eagle from sand at the last to tie Tim Clark and then making a 20-foot putt for victory.
It was the seventh of 12 successes on the PGA Tour, all bar one since he lost a three-hole play-off to Martin Kaymer for the 2010 PGA Championship.
Watson added another WGC title in March 2018 when he defeated Kevin Kisner 7&6 in the final of the Dell Match Play and, after falling from second in the world in 2015 to 117th less than three years later, he made it back into the top 12.
Now back outside the top 50, he had to wait until June 30 to grab his Open place off the world rankings.