The Open 2016: Bubba Watson sees his chances take huge hit as he runs up a disastrous triple-bogey six at the Postage Stamp
Two-time US Masters winner must have thought he was on course for third Major when he birdied five of the first six holes
WHEN Jim Morrison plunged straight into The Coffin, it was almost inevitable.
But at least the namesake of the departed Doors frontman was able to claw his way out of golf’s most infamous bunker to save par — albeit on his way to a five-over 76.
For poor Bubba Watson, there was no such escape.
The American saw his Open chances take a huge hit as he ran up a disastrous triple-bogey six at the infamous eighth hole.
Two-time US Masters winner Watson must have thought he was on course for a third Major when he birdied five of the first six holes in perfect conditions to lead.
But he drove deep into the sand here and made a complete pig’s ear of recovering. To make matters worse, Watson’s playing partner Rory McIlroy sent his tee shot to within a foot of the hole.
Watson said: “I hit one bad shot all day and I hit it on the wrong spot. That hole has been killing me all week, even in practice.
“There’s a lot of reasons why so many of us struggle there but people call those excuses, so I’m going to say it’s just because I’m not very good under pressure on that hole.”
At a mere 123 yards, the Postage Stamp is the shortest hole in championship golf.
Yet that does not even begin to tell the story of a tiny green perched on top of a large sand hill protected by five fearsome bunkers.
Watson, who finished with a one-under 70, was not the only player to explode here. Ireland’s Padraig Harrington went from one trap to another on his way to a double bogey and Japan’s Yusaku Miyazato recorded a card-demolishing seven.
Even landing on the green was no guarantee of safety.
Masters champion Danny Willett raged “F*** off Danny, you’re a f****** idiot” after he left an attempted birdie putt two feet short of the hole.
That is what the Postage Stamp can do to you.