GOLF: Bub a Watson now fourth
years saw him climb eight places to fourth in
the world ranking.
The American left-hander carded a final round
of 69 at Augusta National to beat compatriot
Jordan Spieth and Sweden's Jonas Blixt by
three shots.
Spieth moved to a career-high ninth in the
rankings as a result, with Blixt up from 56th to
33rd. Both players were making their Masters
debut.
Tiger Woods missed his first ever Masters
after undergoing back surgery, but remains
top of the rankings after Adam Scott, Henrik
Stenson and Jason Day failed to achieved the
high finishes needed to overtake the 14-time
major winner.
Watson won the Masters for the first time in
2012 when he beat Louis Oosthuizen in a
play-off.
His second victory in the year's first major
means that after 66 years without a left-
handed winner, six of the last 12 Masters
tournaments have gone to lefties.
Canada's Mike Weir broke the duck in 2003,
before Phil Mickelson's hat-trick (2004, 2006,
2010) and Watson (2012, 2014).
And Watson is hoping he will deal better with
being Masters champion this time around,
saying: "I didn't know how to handle it the
best way and so I didn't play my best golf last
year.
"But the team I have around me, we have
always thought that I've had the talent.
"We always felt like I could play golf at a high
level but then to actually do it is the hard part.
"After getting the green jacket the first time
it's overwhelming, a guy named Bubba from a
small town, born in Pensacola, Florida, raised
in Bagdad. It's crazy to think that you've won.
"Adopting my son the week before threw a
wrench in there as well. Learning to be a dad
and then learning to have a Green Jacket with
you is two big things to adjust to.
"The first time I had to be there for my son and
so golf was the farthest thing from my mind.
"So I took off some tournaments. Trying to be
a good husband, a good dad at that moment
was the most important thing.
"This one is a little bit different. My schedule
is probably not going to change. Everything's
a go. We are trying to make the Ryder Cup
team. We are trying to win the next
tournament, trying to make the next cut. So
it's a lot different situation now than it was
back then."
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