Bubba Watson shrugs off distractions to focus on the Masters
The 36-year-old may not be the most popular player on tour, but he refuses to let outside elements affect his countdown to golf major at Augusta
Bubba Watson knows the score. At 36 years of age and with two Masters titles to his credit, Watson realises that everybody will be looking for an angle when it comes to this week, in Augusta, each year.
So Watson was quick to brush off with humour Tuesday's announcement of an ESPN poll which asked 103 pro golfers (anonymously) which of their fellow players would be the least likely to get their help if spotted in a fight in a car park.
About one in four said Watson - the highest rate recorded - the inference being that the Bagdad, Florida-born world number three was not exactly the most popular player on tour.
Bad shots affect me more than a storyline does. It doesn't matter what the storylines are each week that we play. It just matters about your own game
"Well obviously people know that I'm a big hitter so I can hold my own in a fight," was how Watson handled the matter when told for the first time about the poll.
And Watson was quick to play politic when another distraction was raised as talk turned to the player ranked 111 in the world. Watson said he knows Tiger Woods is still a story - always will be a story - but said this year Woods was just another story in a week full of them as the build-up to the first round of the Masters on Thursday starts to come to the boil.
"Every week that we play a golf tournament there are always storylines. It doesn't affect me," said Watson, when asked about the focus on Woods, and the myriad angles being explored this week.
"Bad shots affect me more than a storyline does. It doesn't matter what the storylines are each week that we play. It just matters about your own game and your own dedication that week so I'm just going to go in there and try to play well."