Now that the pressure’s off, Bubba can be Bubba again

AUGUSTA, Ga. » Jason Day stood on the 17th tee, 200 yards and 10 shots removed from the Bubba Watson movement that was capturing the hearts and minds of thousands of patrons scattered across Augusta National.

Day was coming off a much-needed birdie at the famed par-3 and pushed his tee into the ground as Watson hit his approach into the 16th. As the white sphere plopped onto the green and rolled inexorably toward the pin, the groundswell of support in that theater-like setting crescendoed like a tent-revival crowd on Sunday morning.

Day was the only one not to take note, opting to swing away during Friday’s second round of the Masters as Watson’s golf ball settled 7 feet from the hole.

As Day walked down the fairway to his own destination, Bubba sank that birdie putt, his fifth straight circle on the back nine en route to a 68 that left him in first at 7 under for the tournament and three shots clear of John Senden entering the weekend. A bogey at the 18th was a blemish Watson could have done without as he turned toward his caddie and sounded off as his short par putt slipped past.

This wasn’t a rerun of his derisive exchange with Ted Scott at the ill-fated Travelers last June, where Watson went off on his caddie after blowing a two-shot lead with three to play. Scott took the blame for convincing Watson to use the wrong club on a shot that landed in the water and eventually cost Bubba the win, but it shows he still has some issues that can get in his way this weekend.

Watson has at least 36 holes before he can slip his arms into his second green jacket, but if he hits the ball anywhere close to how he did on the back nine Friday, go ahead and fit him for it. Watson is doing his best to drown out all the noise for his recent charge, something he failed to do as the defending champion last year.

"This year, the champions dinner was not about me," Watson said. "I could enjoy the champions dinner this time and listen to some of the stories. I was in awe when I was a champion, when it was my dinner. You know you’re sitting there amongst the great champions that are in, and this year I got to be just a bystander.

"So media attention is on the defending champion. You’re asked all these questions: Can you defend, how are you going to play, how are you going to do this. You have to give up the green jacket. You have to give it back to them. So, there’s a lot of things going on. For me, I didn’t know how to handle it."

And not just at this event. Watson had the green jacket hangover for all of 2013, but was able to joke about it during Friday’s press conference.

"I was still celebrating my green jacket," Watson said. "How many green jackets have you got? If you had one, you would celebrate it for a year or two. You’ve got to think about where I’ve come from, my mom having two jobs to pay for my golf. My dad working in construction. So when you think about that, it’s an accomplishment for a guy named Bubba, with my mom, my upbringing. My year, my career was complete after that win."

And those weren’t the only distractions that kept him from attending to his game. He became a father and a better husband last year, in addition to having to satisfy his sponsors and fans. It was more of a grind than 72 holes at the U.S. Open.

"It drains you a lot more than you know," Watson said. "You get a green jacket on you and every sponsor that you have, every company you represent, they want more of your time. I flew to Ping; I did Ping day. I talked to every worker there, signed 5,000, 10,000 flags. You now, when you start doing that every other week … when you have a week off, you don’t really have a week off because somebody wants you to go here. It takes a lot of hard work to get back to this level."

So, Bubba, what about the weekend? What do you have to do to remain relevant over the next two rounds?

"Just keep my head down and not focus on the crowd," Watson said. "Try to stay level, not too energized, not too excited. That’s what I have to do. When I do that, I play pretty well."

Reach Paul Arnett at parnett@staradvertiser.com or 529-4786.