Bubba Watson: More than a driver

THERE WAS A time when Bubba Watson was thought of as nothing more than a guy who could hit the ball a mile.

Even after he won last year at the Travelers Championship that philosophy seemed to persist.

Not until he was in the hunt on Sunday at a major championship -- ultimately falling in a playoff to Martin Kaymer at last year's PGA Championship -- did many relent that maybe, just maybe, he had the chops to be a legit player on tour.



After winning at the Farmers Insurance Open and then making it all the way to the semi finals of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship -- being felled yet again by Kaymer -- you can be all but assured that the impression of Bubba being a hitter instead of a golfer had been all but eradicated.

Here's the funny thing: he has always been a shot-maker.

Sure, you can allow his prodigious length off the tee -- and even the bright pink driver shaft he uses -- to blind you to some facts, but there may not be a single player in the world more willing to experiment with different shot types and ball flights.

Need a gentle draw against the wind and there may be players more equipped to play that shot.

However, if you need a big banana slice with a driver off the deck or low running hook three-iron, Bubba's your man.

He currently leads the tour in driving distance -- 314.8 yards per drive -- but he's also third in greens in regulation at 76.8 per cent.

Compare those numbers to five years ago when he averaged 319.6 yards off the tee, but hit only 66.74 greens in reg.

That's basically eight more holes per tournament where Watson has a birdie putt of any length instead of him scrambling for par.

The other thing that is apparent to all that watch him now, but can't possibly show up in a stat is his confidence level.

So Watson is certainly not a flash in the pan. The first three days he was playing maybe the best golf of anyone in the tournament not named Luke Donald.

In the first three rounds he won 20 holes while his opponents -- Bill Haas and Mark Wilson have been two of the hottest players early in the season and Geoff Ogilvy has the all-time best record in this tournament -- won only five.

But on Saturday -- in both the quarter-finals and semi finals -- he really had to grind.

After the 10th hole against J.B. Holmes in the quarter-final he was five-down. But he rallied to win.

And though he ultimately fell to Kaymer, he was there every step of the way, stride for stride with the best player in the world.

It's hard to think he won't be in that position more and more in the coming months and years.

Quick thought on tomorrow's final: It may very well be a battle of the two best players on the world. Kaymer officially ascends to top of the mountain with his performance, but based on the way he's played in recent months it was only a matter of time. Meanwhile Donald -- while he hasn't won anywhere since last May -- had one of the most consistent seasons of anyone in the world last year. In fact, he won more money than anyone.