Together, but politically apart

When Tom Watson won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am a week ago, his caddie was none other than Philadelphian Neil Oxman.

For Oxman, who essentially leads a double life as a looper and successful political consultant, it was his fourth victory on his old friend's bag. He'll caddie for Watson at the Masters and at 15 or 16 other tournaments this year.

What makes it click between Watson, a rather patrician Republican, and Oxman, a true-blue Democrat?

"I think it's the comfort level of having somebody around who you have an institutional memory with," said Oxman.

They've known each other since 1972, when Watson was in his first full year on the Tour, and Oxman was looping to pay his way through law school.

Oxman has juggled his dual careers since 2003, when Watson's longtime caddy, Bruce Edwards, who was a good friend of Oxman's, showed the first signs of Lou Gehrig's disease. The disease eventually claimed his life.

Watson and Oxman are not your typical player-caddy couple. When they are not focused on the round at hand, they talk about politics, issues and sports.

"Tom reads the New York Times and the Washington Post online," said Oxman. "He's reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's book about Lincoln. He reads Tom Friedman in the Times. But he also reads conservatives like [Matt] Drudge and [Rush] Limbaugh."

Over the years, Watson, a one-time liberal, has become what Oxman calls an "old-fashioned, Waspy, Heinz-Rockefeller Republican."

"On some issues he's conservative, on some he's moderate," said Oxman.

Years ago, Watson famously quit Kansas City Country Club because the club refused to admit Henry Block, of H.R. Block, because he was Jewish. Watson, whose wife at the time was Jewish, argued that by that logic, his own kids, Michael and Meg, would be refused membership at some point because they were being raised Jewish.

Watson also follows Oxman's other career. In November, on election night, Oxman went to bed not yet knowing the results of several of his congressional races. When he woke up the next morning, an e-mail from Watson was waiting for him, offering results and his assessments.

"He knew how I did before I did," said Oxman.