I debated putting Bubba Watson on my list of the top 10 Master’s contenders. I even mentioned him, but I figured his short game would be too erratic to close the deal. I was wrong as Watson produced and emotional and popular playoff victory over South African Louie Oosthuizen.
So what are my final thought from
this year’s tournament starting with Bubba Watson.
- Bubba Watson is one of the very longest players on tour, maybe the longest. His game is homemade and he’s never had a lesson. He’s never changed his swing. He cries more than a parent on a wedding day, but he’s a genuine figure. Watson made Master’s Sunday another memorable one birding 4 straight holes on the back 9. His playoff shot out the trees on number 10 would have made Arnold Palmer and Phil Mickelson proud. Watson won’t win 10 Majors, but we could win 2 or 3 more. He nearly won the 2010 PGA, and had a top 5 at the 2007 U.S Open. You might want to say he should tighten up parts of his game, but why would you he just won the Masters.
- Phil Mickelson came so close to winning his 4th Green Jacket and ended up T3. He triple bogeyed 2 holes, that if he just makes bogey he wins the event by 2. Mickelson isn’t done by a longshot. He’s going to win another major maybe 2 before he’s done. He’s played well all year, and played well this week. Mickelson just made a couple of mistakes this week, and it cost him the tournament. He’s still one of the top 3-4 players on the planet.
- Louie Oosthuizen is also one of the world’s best players if you didn’t know. He won the 2010 British Open and almost won his 2nd major today. His double eagle at number 2 will go down as one of the greatest shots in Masters history. Keep an eye on this guy…
- Where was Rory Mcilory? Rory went into Saturday in contention them promptly shot 77 and 76 over the weekend. Even though Mcilory won last year’s U.S Open and played great all year, he still seems prone to breaking down. The key though is he got that major already, so I expect he’ll bounce back and bounce back quickly.
- Where was Tiger Woods? If Tiger Woods tells us one more time he’s this close to finding it, I’m going to be sick. Kicking clubs, cursing, and finishing somewhere 40s is the Tiger Woods of 2012 and in this year’s Masters. He might as well be trailing Jack Nicklaus by 15 majors rather than 4, because that record isn’t getting broken. If Tiger can’t contend at a place he’s owned like Augusta after a recent PGA tour victory then he’s got further to go than most of us realize.
- Need a darkhorse for the U.S Open try Matt Kuchar. A T3 to go along with being one of the most consistent American golfers over the last 2 years. From tee to green he was probably the best player of the week.
- Lee Westwood – another top 10 major without a win. Westwood is starting to approach the not only best current player without a major, but best player of all-time without a major. He’s getting close to Colin Montgomerie territory.
- The Master’s delivers again. The Master’s risk/reward setup again makes it just as possible to shoot 66 as 76. To me that’s as exciting as golf can get.
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