Bubba Watson has won his first major at the 2012 Masters. The victory came hard-fought and in dramatic fashion.
All day, Sunday, April 8, the golfer was paired with South African Louis Oosthuizen and the two battled for position throughout the final round. Eventually, at the 17th hole, Bubba was able to catch Oosthuizen at -10. Both made par on the 18th hole, which forced a playoff.
The first hole of of the playoff was, again, the 18th. Both golfers, again, made pars. Then, it was on to the 10th. Bubba Watson was first to tee off and hit a very errant tee shot to the right. Oosthuizen had the advantage after Bubba's mistake but was not able to cleanly hit his 3-wood. He ended up in the rough and hit a poor second shot that landed short of the green. Bubba followed with one of the most impressive recovery shots I've ever seen, a wide hook from 20 yards off the fairway that landed within 10 feet of the hole. Louis was next to play and chipped the ball over the pin and faced a brutal downhill putt for par. He missed the shot, which left Bubba two putts for the victory. Bubba made his second putt and won his first major.
What initially struck me was how much it meant to the golfer. Bubba Watson could not contain himself and erupted in tears as he embraced his friends and family. Fellow golfers Ben Crane and Rickie Fowler also came from the crowd to congratulate their friend's victory. Bubba came close to winning the 2010 PGA Championship but ultimately fell short. At that time, his father was fighting cancer and died soon after. I'm sure Bubba had thoughts of his father in his heart as the ball hit the bottom of the cup.
Also, Louis Oosthuizen took the defeat with true professionalism. The golfer showed poise and courtesy throughout the day. After making a double eagle (that's two strokes on a par five) at the second hole, the golfer through the ball into the crowd. Oosthuizen looked to be calm and enjoying himself throughout the round. Even though he did not win, he was able to be happy for Bubba in his victory. I'm sure Louis will be a factor for years to come, and it was nice to see such sportsmanship between two tough competitors.
This was one of the best major championships I've ever seen. With so many lead changes and a close finish at the end, I was on the edge of my seat for most of Sunday. Peter Hanson, Phil Mickelson, Matt Kuchar and Louis Oosthuizen all had chances that they failed to capitalize on. I expect the next few weeks on the PGA and European Tour to have increased competition based on the drama that unfolded at the Masters. Oosthuizen is destined for a win in the coming weeks, and I would not be surprised to see him victorious in the next tournament he enters. The 2012 Masters will surely go down in history as one of the finest majors ever played.
Congratulations Bubba Watson on a victory well deserved.
I am an avid fan of the sport of golf. I enjoy being up to date with all the new faces and watching the close matches on a weekly basis.
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