By most accounts, Bubba Watson is one of the most fun players on the PGA Tour. He is also, apparently, a total jerk at times.
We got an example of the latter Sunday at the Travelers Championship as he melted down on the 16th hole and threw his caddie under the bus (or would that be under the golf cart?).
The 16th hole is a Par 3 over a lake and let’s just say Watson became very familiar with said geography.
(True story, I’ve been to the Travelers Championship— formerly the Greater Hartford Open— many times. I went as a kid almost every year and the 15th, 16th and 17th holes are the best back-to-back-to-back holes on tour. You get a driveable Par 4, a Par 3 over the water and a dogleg where you have to hit your second shot over the drink. Great views as well.)
Watson was leading the tournament by two strokes and looked good heading into the final few holes. But then Watson’s tee shot on the 16th went in the drink and of course he blamed his caddie for the shot.
“Water. It’s in the water,” Watson was overheard complaining to caddie Ted Scott on the broadcast. “That club. Yes, the water.”
After dropping, he overshot the green and again it was his caddie’s fault.
“You’re telling me that’s the right yardage?”
Watson triple bogeyed the hole and fell out of contention for a tournament eventually won by Ken Duke in a playoff. Watson was 3-over on the final six holes on Saturday too, so maybe he has himself to blame for the loss instead of his caddie. In fact, his caddie ripped a fan in the crowd on Saturday for talking during a tee shot.
He’s got your back, Bubba. Maybe you should have his too.
Follow Metro New York Sports Editor Mark Osborne on Twitter @MetroNYSports. He never throws his caddie under the hovercraft.
