Golf

Golfer Bubba Watson plays in NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, then wins first tournament in two years

By Jon Ackerman Feb 19, 2018
Bubba Watson's shot gets blocked by Tracy McGrady in the 2018 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game (photo courtesy of twitter.com/bubbawatson)

Bubba Watson is back. He won the PGA Tour’s Genesis Open on Sunday for his first win in two years. And he did so during a weekend in which he also competed in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.

The Genesis Open takes place at Riviera Country Club just outside of Los Angeles, and 17.5 miles from the Staples Center, which hosted the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. So after his second round on Friday, he battled the crowded L.A. freeways to make it to the game.

Watson then returned to the course for the weekend and picked up his 10th career PGA Tour win, and third victory at Riviera. His most recent win came almost exactly two years earlier on the same course. Watson was emotional and grateful Sunday night:

At one point during his drought — which saw him go from the No. 2 player in the world to 117th — Watson considered retiring. He and his wife Angie have two young children, millions of dollars from golf winnings, and a strong faith in Jesus.

“I was close,” he told reporters about retiring. “My wife was not close. My wife basically told me to quit whining and play golf. I would rather be healthy than play golf, so that’s what I was focusing on. I was focusing on the wrong things: pitiful me, not how beautiful my life was.”

Watson really entered the public spotlight in 2012, when he won the Masters. Two years later he won that major again. Those victories in particular brought him a lot of media attention, which he often uses for God’s glory. He says on his personal website that he “loves Jesus and loves sharing his faith,” and on his Twitter page, which boasts 1.99 million followers, he states that he is a “Christian. Husband. Daddy. Pro Golfer.”

Watson told BillyGraham.org that the PGA Tour Bible study he regularly attends helps him get “more in the Word and realizing that golf is just an avenue for Jesus to use me to reach as many people as I can.”

Congrats Bubba, from us and Tiger Woods.

RELATED LINKS:
– Touring Together: Inside Bubba Watson and caddy Ted Scott’s unique relationship
– 6-Year-Old Golfer with One Arm Plays with Pros
– Golfing Legend Bobby Jones Was Baptized Three Days Before His Death in 1971

Tags: