After hammering drives all over Augusta National, Bubba Watson needed to recover from a horrific drive into pine straw on his second playoff hole against Louis Oosthuizen. Watson did it, hitting one of the best shots you’ll ever see at The Masters, and claimed his first green jacket over Oosthuizen as a result.
Masters 2012 Winner Bubba Watson Claims First Major Championship With Magical Shot
Watson played his tournament in 69-71-70-68 to finish at 10-under for the tournament, then made par on both playoff holes to beat Oosthuizen in the sudden-death playoff. He saved his finest stretch of golf for the back nine on Sunday, notching four straight birdies from No. 13 to No. 16 to roar into a tie for the lead, and then played steely golf from there on in to win.
Watson’s first major championship comes scarcely more than 18 months after he failed to prevail in a playoff at the 2010 PGA Championship. On that Sunday, Watson headed into the last two holes of a three-hole playoff one stroke ahead of Martin Kaymer, then self-destructed as a result of his aggressiveness.
On this Sunday, his aggressiveness nearly torpedoed his chances of wearing a green jacket -- and then a magical, unbelievable shot all but sealed his victory. Bubba Watson, whose hometown is tiny Bagdad, Fla., and who never met a hole he couldn’t drive, couldn’t have better encapsulated his golf career if he tried.
You can view the final Masters leaderboard here. For more on the 2012 Masters, check out SB Nation’s golf page and this StoryStream.
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