Tom Watson's nearly historic run at the British Open last summer continues to resonate within the golf world, and it has now effected change within the sport's oldest major championship.

The Royal & Ancient, a governing body of golf that runs the British Open, responded to Watson's stunning runner-up finish at Turnberry in Scotland with an announcement Monday that it has instituted a new five-year exemption for former champions such as Watson who finish in the top 10 of the championship.

In recent years, the R&A had lowered the age limit for exempt former British Open champions from 65 to 60 years old — a move Watson said he concurred with — to make more room in the field for younger players more likely to be competitive for the championship.

That meant for Watson, a five-time champion who turned 60 in September, the 2010 British Open at St. Andrews could have been his last.

Now, he'll be eligible through at least the 2014 British Open.

"I'm really grateful for it because it gives me a chance to continue to play over there on the courses I still feel I have a chance to compete (on)," Watson said . "First of all, I wish they'd get back to Turnberry real soon."

Watson, who last won the British Open in 1983, became the talk of the sports world in July when he held the tournament lead after three rounds at Turnberry and had a share of the lead after 72 holes before finishing second in a playoff to Stewart Cink.

Watson's remarkable run came a year after two-time champion Greg Norman tied for third at the 2008 British Open at Royal Birkdale as a 53-year-old.

"We have introduced this exemption as a direct response to seeing two of our great Open champions, both in their 50s, challenging to win our championship these last two years," R&A chief executive Peter Dawson said, according to the Associated Press.

"We rightly reduced the age of exemption for past champions from 65 to 60 two years ago, and our intention was never to remove players still at the top of their game from competing in the Open."

In a phone interview Monday, Watson said he was first alerted a few weeks ago that the R&A was considering amending its British Open exemption rules. He officially learned of the change a few days ago.

"To some extent, I was surprised," Watson said. "I didn't think they needed to make any special exemptions."

He said back in July that he would not ask for a change to the exemption rules despite nearly becoming golf's oldest major champion at Turnberry, and he didn't. But he was, indeed, pleased to hear the news.

"They did it based on merit," Watson said. "If some past champion finished in the top 10 ... why take that opportunity away from somebody that still has relevancy to the tournament?"

The R&A agreed.