Green jacket fits Bubba like a dream

AUGUSTA, GA. >> Bubba Watson’s first PGA Tour event as a full-fledged member was the Sony Open in Hawaii a half-dozen years ago.

Fresh off the Nationwide Tour, where he was the last guy to qualify for the PGA, Watson was the first alternate at the 2006 Sony Open. He had to wait until Tuesday before they let him under the ropes, and it didn’t take long for the local folks to see Bubba had game.

He and Rory Sabbatini were paired in the final round of that tournament, eventually won by David Toms. That week, all eyes were on local golfers Michelle Wie and Tadd Fujikawa, but if you took the time to watch the incoming rookie class — which included J.B. Holmes — Watson gave you an eyeful.

He shot a final-round 65 to finish fourth and earn $244,800. At the time, that was a lot of dough for the rising star. He said that day, “It’s a great feeling, finishing fourth. That will be close to the number to keep my card. A couple of more good weeks and we’re there for next year. We’ll be back here.”

Hawaii has been the starting point for Watson ever since. He has skipped the Sony Open the past two years, but made sure to be part of the winners-only field on Maui in 2011 and 2012.

On the plane ride back to the mainland in 2006, Vijay Singh had seen his quotes in the paper and told him not to limit himself to just making enough money to keep his card. “You’re good enough to win out here,” Singh told him.

Whether Watson remembers Singh’s advice is debatable, but after Sunday’s stunning Masters victory over Louis Oosthuizen with a par on the second playoff hole, it’s clear now that Singh saw something in Watson that finally came to fruition.

But it wasn’t easy.

Watson had a fairway seat to Oosthuizen’s stunning double eagle at the par-5 second hole that dropped him four shots off the pace of the young South African, who already has a major win at the 2010 British Open.

“After my playing partner, Louis, made double eagle on 2 and he took the lead that quick, I just kept my head down knowing that there were birdies on the back nine,” Watson said. “You could make some birdies, you could make some eagles. I just kept going, kept grinding it out, and somehow I went into a playoff and I don’t know what happened after that. I just know I was crying a little bit later.”

Not until the par-3 16th did Watson make up that four-shot deficit with his fourth consecutive birdie, but the man who lost to Martin Kaymer at the 2010 PGA Championship in a playoff proved he was more than just a big bomber off the tee.

This shot-shaper hit an incredible hook from the trees off the 10th fairway that landed his golf ball on the green below the hole. All he needed was a par to win, and with a simple tap-in, that’s exactly what he did.

“I was there earlier today in regulation, so I was used to it,” Watson said of his errant drive on the second playoff hole. “I knew what I was facing there. I had a good lie, had a gap where I could hook it, I don’t know, 40 yards or something. I’m pretty good at hooking it, so I just hooked it up there and somehow it nestled close to the hole.”

Oosthuizen, who had bogeyed the 10th earlier in his round, did the same thing again, clearing the way for Watson to win his fourth PGA Tour event.

His wife, Angie, and young son, Caleb, were at home, but his mom made sure to give enough hugs on the 10th green for everyone.

“I never got this far in my dreams,” Watson said of wearing the green jacket. “No, I never have.”