If you take Bubba Watson at his word, he is the golfer who has followed in the footsteps of legends by accident. Seve Ballesteros won the Masters twice. As did Ben Hogan. The most recent man to do likewise? Watson. His status is already such that only an adopted first name is required for identification. Another player, surname Woods, has long-since been afforded the same privilege.
“I play golf because I love it, I love the game, I want to grow the game,” Watson says. “The game has brought me everything I have ever owned in my life. My parents taught me values through the game of golf. It brought me so much closer to my mum and dad. I have a lot of friends, I have travelled the world because of this game. That’s why I play it; because I love it.”
Watson underplays his distinct talent with such sentiment, laudable though it is. Golfing history is full of professionals who could not win a single Masters, let alone two, despite otherwise successful careers. Watson clearly has a level of ability which, when he hones it properly, sets him apart.
“My mum had two jobs to help me. My dad had a tough job to support me. And I know they could never dream this far either. So it is pretty overwhelming.”
This is a player who can hit his driver almost 370 yards with a cut.
High hands at the top of his backswing bear a resemblance to Phil Mickelson. When Watson turns away from the ball, his left foot almost leaves the ground; that is a 1960s concept, not dissimilar to the style of Jack Nicklaus. Watson’s greatest challenge in a technical sense is maintaining accuracy; distance is never a problem.
Watson was the only player to successfully attack the pin at the brutally tough, 243-yard par three 4th hole in the final round at Augusta. The height he is able to generate from the ball allowed it to finish less than 10ft from the pin. A birdie followed.
There has been a strong element of professional dedication attached to Watson’s success. He makes no apology for the fact his tournament play may not always be a thing of beauty.
“I do what it takes to score,” Watson says. “I don’t care how pretty it is. I don’t care if it’s ugly. I don’t care if it is out of the woods.”
Watson has risen eight places to fourth in the world rankings. Rory McIlroy has slipped from ninth to 10th, with the Masters joint-runner-up Jordan Spieth one place ahead of him.
“It’s just Bubba golf,” says the Masters champion’s caddie, Ted Scott, when asked to explain his employer’s unique style. He added: “Last year was a rough year, with the pressure of trying to prove himself but this year his attitude has been great.”
