Bubba Watson knew the day was coming. He just did not expect it to happen in Los Angeles as he was getting ready to play in the Northern Trust Open.
Watson’s wild week in Southern California started with an unavoidable trip to the doctor to deal with a kidney stone and ended with the two-time Masters champion celebrating his ninth career PGA Tour victory.
“Five years ago [my doctor] said there was one more in my system, and obviously it decided this week. My baby came out, I guess,” Watson said after shooting a three-under 68 to win the Northern Trust Open by one stroke on Sunday.
Photo: AFP
Watson, 37, said it was the second kidney stone he has passed in his life. The first one was discovered five years ago when he was playing in a tournament in New Orleans and had to take a bathroom break.
“I took a bathroom break on the 16th hole, and the nicest way of saying it is, red liquid came out. And I called [wife] Angie over and I said: ‘We need to call a doctor, something’s going on,’” Watson said.
“There was never any pain. We flew home. They said it’s a kidney stone. It’s coming through. So you just start drinking a lot of water and stuff,” he added.
Watson said he felt the same discomfort on Feb. 14 while playing with his kids. He called his physician and arrangements were made for him to see a doctor in Los Angeles on Feb. 15 as soon as he arrived.
“They set me up with a place. I landed on Monday morning, went. Did a CT [computed tomography] scan and 30 minutes after the CT scan, again, just downing water, thinking it’s going to be the same thing,” he said.
Watson said that there was never any great pain, so he did not really consider pulling out of the Los Angeles event.
Asked by reporters after his victory on Sunday at the Riviera Country Club what he wants the headline about the kidney stone to be, Watson jokingly said: “Bubba is a tough guy.”
Watson has needed that mental and physical toughness more than usual over the past few weeks.
A couple of weeks ago, he found himself in the doghouse of golf fans in Phoenix, Arizona, for saying that he was only playing there because that is what his sponsors wanted.
Watson on Sunday said he is still upset about the bad treatment he received.
“The Saturday where I got booed on every shot — even though I’ve lived there for the last eight winters. I love Scottsdale, I love Phoenix,” he said.
“I’m just saying, the mental stress, that I had to just bite my tongue, sometimes when things are written or things are said, and there was a lot of things said in between those ropes,” he added.
Watson’s best previous finish this season was a tie for 10th at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. He stumbled at Pebble Beach last week in the third round and missed the 54-hole cut.
Up until Riviera, the third round had been a problem for Watson this season. In his last three outings, he shot 73s in Maui and Phoenix and 74 at Pebble Beach. However, the 37-year-old from Florida is back on track as he hopes to use this victory as the start of his run to a third Masters title in seven weeks.
“What makes Augusta so special is that every year it’s that major tournament in the same spot, so we can see past champion after past champion,” he said.
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