Masters champ Watson shoots for Zurich repeat
Newly crowned Masters champ Bubba Watson isn't about to rest on his laurels as he seeks to defend his title this week at the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
"When we come to a golf tournament, it doesn't matter what you did the week before or the year before," Watson said. "Everybody is trying to win. So it's not about being the hunted or being the hunter or anything like that. It's just about playing golf.
"If I go out there and play my game, I have a chance to win. If the other guys go out there and play their game and hit good shots, they have a chance to win. So we're not looking at that, we're just looking at trying to play good golf."
This is the left-handed American's first tournament since parring the second sudden-death playoff hole to defeat South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen and win the 76th Masters earlier this month.
He then took time to go on the interview circuit and some down time to spend with his family, especially his newly-adopted child, Caleb. He and his wife adopted the boy 10 days before the Masters.
"I have not had enough time with my family, by myself or anything, but I felt obligated to my fans, to New Orleans, the city, that I should be here," Watson said. "I think I should be honoured that I won here before, and I should be here. I would love to be at home right now watching my little boy and spending time with my wife.
"But yeah, I'm here because I just felt like it was the right thing to do."
Watson birdied the second playoff hole last year to beat Webb Simpson. Both players shot 69 in the final round, before Watson claimed the title in the playoff. It marked his third career win on the USPGA Tour.
He will be playing the first two rounds here with Simpson and fellow American Steve Stricker.
Watson and Stricker are two of four players ranked in the top 10 in the world competing this week. Luke Donald and Justin Rose are the other two.
He is also one of seven former winners of this event in the field.
"I've been playing good all year, so I am looking forward to the challenge," said Watson. "Hopefully I can be near that lead again on Sunday."
