Tom Watson of the US chips onto the 18th green during the third day of the British Open Golf championship at the Royal Liverpool golf club, Hoylake, England, Saturday July 19, 2014. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

The Tucson Conquistadores achieved goal No. 1 last week when Tom Watson agreed to play in the Champions Tour event March 20-22 at the Omni Tucson National Resort.

The only marquee name not yet committed is Fred Couples, but it would be a surprise if Couples doesn’t announce plans to play in the Tucson Classic in the next week or so.

Watson won the 1978 Joe Garagiola Tucson Open, and in 1984 won the inaugural Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship at Randolph North.

Tucson’s Champions Tour event now includes former Tucson champions Jeff SlumanCraig StadlerLee JanzenKirk TriplettAndrew Magee and Larry Mize. Also, Tucsonan Don Pooley, who retired from active Champions Tour play a year ago, has been given an exemption into the field.


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