Bubba Watson wasn’t even planning to play in the Hero Challenge. And he went with the trophy to finish a great with some spectacular wins in his bag.
Watson stretched his two-shot lead by making four birdies in seven holes. He was never seriously challenged, sailing home to a 6-under 66 for a three-shot victory over Patrick Reed at Albany Golf Club and a trophy from tournament host Tiger Woods.
[Pic Credit: Guardian]
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Watson turned down his invitation a few months ago because he didn’t have a passport for his newly adopted daughter, Dakota. But when PGA champion Jason Day backed out to stay home with his newborn daughter, Watson’s wife was able to expedite all the right documents for the family to come over to the Bahamas.
He left with a $1 million payoff and a firm grasp on No. 4 in the world the rest of the year.
“I guess I’ve got to thank Jason Day for backing out. I have to thank the U.S. government and passport office for getting Dakota a passport so we could be here,” Watson said. “For us, it’s a good ride, a fun ride.”
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Even if it didn’t feel easy to him, it sure looked that way.
The Masters and U.S. Open champion strengthened his grip on No. 1 in the world, and headed off to a three-week vacation before going out to Maui for the first golf tournament of what figures to be a tough encore. First up: A trip to Augusta National this weekend to play with his father.
India’s Anirban Lahiri playing the tournament on a sponsor exemption finished T17th.
