Bubba Watson has low ‘opinion’ of PGA Long Drive Contest, but says he’ll play along this year

Bubba Watson should be an absolute joy to behold if he stands by a pledge he grudgingly made at Firestone to compete in Tuesday’s PGA Championship long-drive contest.

When the PGA brought back the fan-friendly exhibition in 2014 as part of a pre-tourney practice round, Baby Bubba refused to participate for reasons known only to himself and his maker. Rather than giving the spectators what they wanted, Watson petulantly hit a 3-iron off the tee, whined about it, and generally acted like a complete jerk about the whole thing.

“I’m there to play golf, not to hit it far,” Watson said last year.

This time around, Bubba said he would play ball — but only if he lost last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and only after flagellating himself for holding a mystifying hard-core belief about a silly exhibition that should be right up BubbaGolf’s alley.

“Yes, I’m going to hit it. It made big drama last year for no reason because I stated my opinion. It’s sad that my opinion is obviously wrong at everything I do, but, yes, I’m going to hit the tee shot because I understand it means more to do that than worry about my opinion,” Watson told reporters after firing a 4-under 66 in Friday’s second round at Firestone.

“My opinion means nothing as long as my family’s happy,” said Watson, who added a caveat to whatever it was that provoked such angst in him.

“If I win this week, no, because I’m not playing any practice rounds,” Watson averred. “If I win. But let’s be honest, am I going to win?”

The second-longest hitter on the PGA Tour, who averages more than 315 yards off the tee, came close, finishing two shots shy of Shane Lowry’s 11-under. Bubba did, however, set a new driving distance record this past week in Akron.

But he did not get that win, which must mean we’ll get to watch Bubba’s neon pink driver smack one long and straight off the tee on the 593-yard, par-5 second hole.

Or not. Bubba being Bubba, one never knows what to expect.

Whether Watson shows or not, the victor of the competition earns a money clip inspired by the one Jack Nicklaus received for prevailing in the driving contest in 1963.

He will also win a $25,000 donation split between a charity of his choice and the American Lake Veterans Golf Course.

SB Nation video archives: Urban golfing with a U.S. Open champ (2012)