Remember Bubba Watson? Two-time Masters champ? The other lefty? Ring a bell?
Valspar Championship 2017 schedule: Tee times, TV coverage for Friday
Has Bubba Watson entered the Witness Protection Program?
Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images
You may be excused if you don’t recall the last time Watson made any noise on the golf course, because one of the most colorful and talented players on the PGA Tour has been uncharacteristically quiet despite the loudness of his signature pink Ping driver and matching pink Volvik golf ball. With Augusta just four weeks away, a formerly obvious favorite to earn a third green jacket has fallen out of the discussion about potential winners.
That’s because the nine-time tour victor has been AWOL both figuratively and literally in the four tournaments he’s started this year. After his season-best T25, in the 32-player Tournament of Champions, Watson’s game seems to have disappeared as surely as the 20 pounds he lost during the offseason.
There was the missed cut at the Phoenix Open and T38 in the no-cut, limited field WGC-Mexico Championship, sandwiched around his withdrawal (as defending champion) from the soggy Genesis Open with two holes to go in his second round. At 8-over, Bubba was heading for another MC and was one of several players to quit before the weather-delayed tourney was set to resume. While he offered no reason for his WD, Watson’s dislike of playing in the rain is legend.
Which brings us to Thursday’s opening round of the Valspar Championship, where Watson’s 5-of-13 fairways and 12-of-18 greens hit in regulation, as well as his tie for 135th in strokes gained putting, had him at 2-over 73. With the late-starting first round suspended due to darkness, Bubba was tied for 98th, 11 shots behind early leader Jim Herman (9-under), and with much work to do to make the cut.
Watson is scheduled to resume his quest for his first win since the 2016 Northern Trust Open off the 10th tee at 12:46 p.m. ET, with Henrik Stenson (64) and defending champion Charl Schwartzel (70). Friday’s 7:40 a.m. slated restart of Round 1 could push that time back.
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Here are all of your media options for Friday’s second round:
Friday’s second-round coverage
Television:
2 to 6 p.m. ET — Golf Channel
7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. — Golf Channel replay
Online streams:
6:45 a.m. -- PGA Tour Live starts with coverage from range and opening holes
6:45 a.m. — Free PGA Tour live stream on Twitter
Featured Groups (PGA Tour Live subscription required)
6:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. -- Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger, Steve Stricker; Patrick Reed, Jim Furyk, Ernie Els; and Bill Haas, Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland
3 to 6 p.m. -- PGA Tour Live featured holes Nos. 15 and 17 coverage (No subscription required)
2 to 6 p.m. -- Golf Channel simulcast stream
Radio:
12 to 6 p.m. — PGA Tour Radio on Sirius-XM (Ch. 92/208 and streamed here)
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