Second thoughts

Bubba’s flubs didn’t stop with bad shot

Bubba Watson knew better, but he did it anyway.

And he didn’t look good doing it.

Watson should know those boom mikes situated on the tee boxes can pick up obscenities and other expressions of frustration as well as the impact of the clubhead on the ball.

Hunter Mahan got burned by one during the final round of the U.S. Open, expressing dissatisfaction that he hit a “damn” driver on the 266-yard, par-3 third hole and couldn’t reach the green.

Watson did a lot worse than that Sunday in Cromwell, Conn., reaching the 70th hole of the Travelers Championship with a one-shot lead before hitting his ball into the water and blaming it on his longtime caddie, Ted Scott.

“Water?” a disbelieving Watson said tersely. “It’s in the water. That club. Yes, the water.”

Watson moved to the drop area, flew the green with his third shot and ranted some more.

“So,” Watson said to Scott, “you’re telling me that’s the right yardage?”

Watson wasn’t done. A poor chip set up a 25-foot putt for double bogey that he missed and another barb directed at Scott.

“There’s just no reason for me to show up,” Watson said to Scott.

Watson, the 2012 Masters winner who has not won since, has always been a spirited fellow, but this temper tantrum was clearly audible for television viewers to hear and to draw comment from CBS on-course reporter David Feherty.

Feherty, the Irish-born funnyman who also hosts a popular Golf Channel talk show, didn’t find a lot of humor in Watson’s actions.

Feherty, after Watson complained following his chip that sailed across the green: “Hey, you hit it, bud.”

Feherty, after missed a 25-footer for double-bogey: “He must have had the wrong club there, too.”

Feherty, on the resulting triple bogey: “A triple with cheese.”

Watson later tried to downplay the incident, referring to he and Scott as “we,” taking his share of his responsibility for the situation.”

To some members of the media, it was Bubba being a baby after Scott tried to take the blame Monday, saying he talked Watson into hitting the wrong club.

“Watson’s caddie may have taken responsibility for the misclub on 16 that cost his boss a shot at the Travelers, but he had no other choice publicly if he wanted to keep his job,” Golf Channel’s Ryan Ravner wrote. “It’s still an embarrassing sequence for Bubba.”

A King’s treasure

Arnold Palmer amassed 62 victories on the PGA Tour, seven major championships and the 1954 U.S. Amateur title, but one of his most prized possessions from his golf career is a Vicuna top coat he won from Frank Stranahan, the amateur great who died Sunday at age 90.

Of their many practice rounds, the one that stands out to Palmer was when he and Dow Finsterwald took on Stranahan and Al Besselink in 1957.

“We played 18 holes and we beat him for a couple hundred bucks,” Palmer told The Associate Press. “Frank said, ‘Are you going to give us a chance to get even?’ And I said, ‘Sure, what do you want to play for?’ We were hassling over that and I said, ‘Frank, you have a top coat that I really love. I’ll put up whatever dollars I have and play you for it.’ ”

Palmer said he shot in the neighborhood of 31, while Finsterwald shot 29 over nine holes. They won the match, and Palmer went home with the coat.

“I still have it,” Palmer said Tuesday. “I’ve had it redone and remodeled. It’s in my dresser.

“It’s one of my favorite things in my golfing career - the coat I couldn’t afford.”

Quote of the day

“I like to do my own scheduling. I’m not in kindergarten anymore. I think I can take care of my responsibilities.”

South Carolina Coach Frank Martin on having the SEC check his nonconference basketball schedule

Sports, Pages 20 on 06/26/2013

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