Great American Tour Player – Bubba Watson

When you think of schools that have produced Tour players, you automatically think of such powers as the University of Florida, Clemson, Arizona State, Milton High School, Okla…   Wait a minute…Milton High School?  Yes, Milton High School, in the Florida panhandle just outside Pensacola.  The school has produced three tour winners, Heath Slocum, Boo Weekley, and Bubba Watson.  Watson is perhaps the hottest American player at present, winning three times in the past year.  A self-taught player, Watson is known for his long-ball capability, but it’s his other skills that keep him on top of the game.  Owning a deft short-game touch with great imagination, Watson is able to create shots not unlike those of the late Seve Ballesteros.   Watson’s journey to the top of the game was far from easy.  He played for the University of Georgia, but he fell out of favor with the coach his senior year and played sparingly.  Playing various mini-tours after turning pro in 2000, he made his way onto the Tour by finishing 21st on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2005.  Since then, he has steadily progressed to the point where he is a fan favorite and becoming one of the game’s best players.