Miles Bennett
Bubba Watson is a professional golfer who has achieved notable success in the sport, including winning two Masters championships and accumulating twelve wins on the PGA Tour. In 2022, Watson joined LIV Golf as a non-playing team captain while recovering from a torn meniscus, with the intention to return to playing golf in 2023. Since his return to the sport, Watson has experienced a resurgence in his performance, attributing this improvement to a new caddie and putter, as well as a better understanding of his post-surgery body. With his passion for the sport and business ventures, Bubba Watson continues to be a prominent figure in the world of golf.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current Golfing Status | Bubba Watson is still golfing, but he is no longer playing in the PGA Tour. He joined LIV Golf in 2022 as a non-playing team captain while recovering from a torn meniscus, intending to return to play in 2023. |
| Golfing History | Watson has had a successful golfing career, with 12 wins on the PGA Tour, including 2 Masters Championships. He has also represented the US in the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup. |
| Golfing Performance | Watson's performance has been mixed since joining LIV Golf. While he has struggled in some tournaments, he has also shown signs of improvement, with a new caddie and putter contributing to a resurgence in form. |
| Golfing Ambitions | Watson has expressed his ambition to return to competitive golfing and win his first LIV Golf tournament. |
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What You'll Learn
Bubba Watson's recent performance at LIV Golf UK
Bubba Watson joined LIV Golf in 2022 as a non-playing team captain while recovering from a torn meniscus, with the intention of returning to play in 2023. He made his LIV Golf debut that year, but it has taken time for him to find his form.
Watson's performance at the 2025 LIV Golf UK event has been described as "stellar" and "outstanding". He started the tournament with a five-under par 66 opening round at The JCB Golf and Country Club, showcasing his talent and determination. Despite a challenging season, Watson has secured six top-25 finishes in just 10 starts, a commendable feat. His resilience and skill on the course have solidified his position as a formidable competitor in the Saudi-backed golf league.
Watson attributes his improved performance to two main changes: a new caddie and a new putter. He now has Kyle Peters as his caddie, and Peters' expertise has helped Watson improve his putting technique. Watson also sought advice from his teammate Peter Uihlein, who is known for his putting skills. Uihlein recommended some training aids and suggested Watson consult with Ping engineers about a new putter. Following Uihlein's advice, Watson switched to a mallet putter, which has helped him get more putts to the hole.
Watson's performance at LIV Golf UK has been a positive step forward in his career. He expressed his appreciation for the supportive English crowd, acknowledging their enthusiasm and understanding of the sport. Despite trailing rival Joaquin Niemann by six strokes heading into the final day, Watson is encouraged by his returning form and is determined to finish the season strongly.
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Watson's career PGA Tour wins
Bubba Watson is a professional golfer with 12 PGA Tour wins and two major championship victories. He joined the PGA Tour in 2006 and won his first PGA Tour event in 2010 at the Travelers Championship. He has since accumulated an impressive number of victories, including two Masters Tournament wins in 2012 and 2014, and a victory at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China in 2014.
In 2011, Watson won his second and third PGA Tour titles at the Farmers Insurance Open and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, respectively. He also had strong finishes that year, including a ninth-place tie in the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and a second-place tie in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. In 2013 and 2015, Watson was ranked second in the world.
Watson's success continued with his fifth career PGA Tour victory at the 2014 Northern Trust Open, where he defeated Dustin Johnson by two strokes. He followed this with another win at the 2014 Masters Tournament, his second Masters victory. Watson's most recent PGA Tour win was in 2016, and he is currently playing with LIV Golf.
Watson's career has had its ups and downs, including a knee injury in 2022 that required surgery and a change in his technique. However, he has made a resurgence with the help of a new caddie and putter, and his post-surgery body has finally adjusted to playing golf. He is encouraged by his returning form and is once again playing good golf.
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Bubba Watson's early life and career
Bubba Watson, born Gerry Lester Watson Jr. in November 1978, is a professional golfer from Bagdad, Florida. Watson was introduced to golf by his father, who gave him a cut-down 9-iron club when he was six years old. Watson quickly developed a passion for the game and, by his teenage years, it was clear that he had a natural talent for it. He played in his high school golf team at Milton High School alongside future professional golfers Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum.
Watson began his college career at Faulkner State Community College, where he played in college golf tournaments and became a junior college All-American. He then transferred to the University of Georgia, where he met his future wife, Angie (née Angela Ball), a member of the women's basketball team. In his junior year, Watson helped the Bulldogs win the 2000 Southeastern Conference (SEC) title. He also won the SEC again in 2001, along with the Georgia State Amateur Championship.
Watson turned pro in 2002 at the age of 23, joining the PGA Tour the following year. He captured his first PGA Tour title in 2010, winning the Travellers Championship. Watson has since become a two-time Masters champion, winning in 2012 and 2014, and has consistently been ranked among the top golfers in the world. In addition to his powerful swing and creative shot-making abilities, Watson is known for his ball-shaping ability and enormous power. He has also been open about his struggles with mental health, including ADHD and anxiety, and has published a book titled "Up and Down: Victories and Struggles in the Course of Life".
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Watson's captaincy of RangeGoats GC
Bubba Watson's captaincy of RangeGoats GC began in 2022, when he joined LIV Golf as a non-playing captain while recovering from a torn meniscus. Watson has embraced the team aspect of golf, having played baseball as a child and always enjoyed the team dynamic. He was instrumental in choosing the team's name, which reflects his early years practising on driving ranges near his home. The "Range" in RangeGoats GC refers to this, while "Goats" is a play on the acronym GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) and also stands for "Golfers On A Team".
Watson has faced challenges in his role as captain, with the team failing to win a single event last year and finishing ninth in the standings. However, he has also experienced success, with the RangeGoats finishing fifth out of 13 in the team standings heading into Hong Kong. Watson's passion for the game and his team is evident, and he has stated that the move to LIV Golf and captaincy is ""the greatest thing I've ever done".
Watson's own golf game has improved this season, with a new caddie and putter helping him to finish T4 at LIV Virginia and T7 at LIV Mexico City. He has also embraced the commercial side of his role, working to grow the RangeGoats GC brand and the game of golf in general. Watson's influence extends beyond the golf course, as he and his wife, Angie, are committed to philanthropy and making a difference in people's lives.
Despite some struggles and an uncertain future, Watson remains dedicated to his role as captain of RangeGoats GC. With his improved form and the team's success, he is optimistic about the future and determined to help his team succeed.
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Watson's injury struggles
Bubba Watson has had a long and successful career in golf, but his journey has not been without setbacks. In May 2022, Watson revealed that he had been playing with a significant knee injury, which turned out to be a torn meniscus. This injury forced him to withdraw from the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial and take a break from the game for at least a month, with a recovery time of 4-6 weeks.
The injury meant that Watson was likely to miss the U.S. Open in June 2022, a tournament in which he had historically not performed well. Despite his injury, Watson had been playing spectacularly in the lead-up to his diagnosis, shooting a seven-under 63 at Southern Hills, which put him alone in fourth place going into the weekend.
Watson underwent surgery for his torn meniscus and joined LIV Golf as a non-playing team captain for the remainder of the 2022 season, intending to return to playing golf in 2023. He made his LIV Golf debut that year, but his performance was not up to his usual standards, with only one top-10 finish. Watson attributed this to the mental and physical struggles he faced following the surgery, which affected his technique and required him to develop new habits and adapt to his post-surgery body.
However, by 2025, Watson's performance had started to improve again. He finished in fourth place at LIV Virginia and seventh at LIV Mexico City, crediting these improvements to a new caddie and putter. Watson's resilience and dedication to his sport have allowed him to overcome these injury struggles and continue pursuing success in golf.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Bubba Watson is still a professional golfer.
Bubba Watson has had a successful career, with 12 wins on the PGA Tour, including 2 Masters Championships. He was the second-ranked golfer in the world in 2015 and represented his nation at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Bubba Watson is currently playing in the LIV Golf League and serving as the captain of his own golf team, RangeGoats GC. He joined LIV Golf in 2022 but was unable to play until 2023 due to a torn meniscus.
Bubba Watson has called LIV Golf "the greatest thing I've ever done in golf". He enjoys the team aspect of the league and the challenge of growing the RangeGoats GC brand.
Bubba Watson's performance has improved recently, with a new caddie and putter helping him return to form. He finished T4 at LIV Virginia and T7 at LIV Mexico City, and is encouraged by his progress.
