The green jacket was great.
But it fades in comparison to a boy named Caleb.
Bubba Watson, and his wife, Angie, knew they soon would become parents when he won the Masters in April. The adoption process was finalized in August. Golf aside, life has never been sweeter for Family Watson in the five months since he won his first major championship.
“It’s a blessing,” Watson said after completing the second round of the Tour Championship on Friday. “It’s a privilege and an honor to get a child that way. The lady letting us have her child is pretty amazing, pretty remarkable.
“For me and my wife, the Masters was great, but getting a child is so much better for what it will mean for the rest of my life. The green jacket and tournaments fade away. People forget your name. Hopefully, my son doesn’t forget my name.”
Watson, a Georgia graduate, is tied for third at the Tour Championship after a round of 4-under-par 66. He sits at 5 under for the tournament, two strokes behind leader and playing partner Jim Furyk. He remains a long shot to win the FedEx Cup and its $10 million prize as he entered the playoff finale 11th in the points standings.
Winning the Tour Championship, at East Lake Golf Club, would be enough of a feat. Watson entered his fourth playoff finale with a 71.67 scoring average, nearly two strokes over par. He’s learning to play the course. He shot a 64 in the second round last year. He can add two consecutive sub-par rounds.
“This course and me don’t see eye to eye,” Watson said. “I’ve never played good here. … Stringing two under-par rounds together is pretty good. I’m looking forward to the weekend.”
While Watson witnessed Furyk shoot a front-nine 29 on Friday, he plodded along at par, with one birdie and one bogey. He made four birdies on the back nine, including a 50-foot putt from off the green at No. 17. The roars from the crowd, and UGA faithful, followed.
Watson made par at No. 18 after getting a drop from the grandstand left of the green to end on a positive note from the course that has given him fits. Watson’s best finish at the Tour Championship was a tie for 17th. He enters the final two rounds with a chance to make more noise.
Watson has played 10 events since his memorable Masters victory. He finished second at The Travelers in June and had two other top 10s. He has three missed cuts in 18 total events this year.
“In 15 tournaments, I’ve been in the top 25,” Watson said. “If I can beat five people here, it will be another top 25. So it will be 16 top 25s and three missed cuts. So all in all, it’s a really good season.”
Watson is not done. He will head to the Ryder Cup next week, his second appearance in the international event that pits the U.S. versus Europe.
Then he will get a chance to return to Arizona and reflect on his year — on and off the golf course. Listening to Watson, most of the memories will come from young Caleb.
“There are a lot of little things that he is doing, learning,” Watson said. “It’s so much fun.”
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