Bubba Watson, a 2nd time PGA Tour Winner!

A close battle at the end of Sunday afternoon, left Watson a winner and lefty well....left out. Bubba sunk a 12 foot birdie to stay 2 strokes ahead of Mickelson, who had to eagle #18 to take it to a play-off. Mickelson, who on #17 went up ahead of his shot to check out the green and then came back to hit an amazingly close shot, which he then dropped in for a birdie. He tried the same again on #18, when he needed to sink it from 72 yards out (with Bones tending the pin) for an eagle to tie Bubba.

Phil's wedge shot was a tad short and left him a 4 foot putt for birdie. He got his bird and finished solo in 2nd place. There was a bit of an onslaught of people saying that Phil having Bones tend the pin from 72 yards out was, well....a LONG SHOT! Phil agreed that it was indeed a long shot however, he didn't want anything to stop a potentially tie if he got the right line to the hole. There was alot riding on that one shot and it certainly was Phil's choice. Now, everyone needs to leave it behind. After all, he did have an amazing shot on #17 and to want to better that to take this into a play-off, which was not exactly far fetched. His 2nd place finish moved him into the No. 4 spot in the rankings.

Bubba on the other hand, played a stellar tournament from start to finish. He averages 315 yards on his drives. On #13, the 525 par 5, Bubba had one heck of a monster drive that left him a simple wedge shot to the green. When he chipped out of the 17th hole bunker with Johnny Vegas and Lefty only one back, his ball ran approximately 10 feet past the hole. That was a shot that he made look effortless. The ball ran right to the cup as if it had direct radar. Then on #18 when he had a 12 foot putt for birdie, he repeated the finesse that he had just shown on the 17th green. Before he got to the birdie putt, he looked up expecting that Phil was going to "go for it". What he didn't know, was that Phil had already taken his shot and laid up. That, was another source of groans by many. The majority of golfers I've spoken with and read their responses about, state that they felt Lefty should have waited to take his shot. Phil on the otherhand, saw nothing wrong with it.

There's no question Bubba's putting was HOT when he needed it to be. His long game, is also something that continues to shave strokes off his card. He can sore off the tee box with aim that we as golfers can only hope to master. He has worked on the off season on his short game. I would say that it has certainly paid off! While the WIN was a happy moment, it was also bittersweet. It was the first win since his father passed last October. Bubba got his first win while his father was still alive, yet very ill. And, while he didn't have his father there to congratulate him with a hug, his devoted wife Angie was.

If there's one thing that Bubba proved, it's that hard work and determination pays off. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Well done Bubba, well done! I think I can speak for many and say, "Your father would be very proud of you Bubba". I think his win was for his father, who was no doubt wataching over him at Torrey Pines this past week!

Now, Go Hit Some Balls............