Bubba Watson outduels Spieth for second Masters title at Augusta

Augusta Bigdriving Bubba Watson captured his second Masters title in three years on Sunday pulling away from Jordan Spieth on the back nine for a threestroke victory at Augusta NationalBubba Watson poses with the green jacket as Adam Scott looks on PicGetty ImagesThe 35yearold American fired a threeunder par 69 Sunday to finish 72 holes on eightunder 280 and take his second major title the top prize of USD 162 million from a record USD 9 million purse and another green jacketI never loved green so much Watson said After giving away that jacket last year I wanted it backSpieth and Swedens Jonas Blixt each in his first Masters shared second on 283 with 50yearold Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez fourth on 284 Americans Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar sharing fifth on 286 and Englands Lee Westwood seventh on 287Until a PGA triumph two months ago at Riviera Watson had not won any title since defeating Louis Oosthuizen in a playoff to win the 2012 Masters a slump he blamed this week on a hangover effect from his first major crownBut Watson bounced back in style this week in the years first major championship becoming the 17th multiple winner of the Masters with his sixth career titleThe first one for me its almost like I lucked into it Watson said in comparing his Masters triumphs This one was a lot of hard workA smalltown guy named Bubba now has two green jackets Thats pretty wildSpieth a 20yearold Texan was trying to become the youngest champion in Masters historyHe also could have become the first golfer to win the Masters on his first try since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 and the youngest major winner since Tom Creavy took the 1931 PGA ChampionshipIt hurts right now Spieth said Even though it sits a little hard right now it was great and Ill be backDidnt come out on top but I can take a lot of positives out thereSpieth owned a twostroke lead on the eighth tee but fell behind after Watson closed the front nine birdiebirdie while Spieth made bogeys at both holesEight and nine were really the turning point where momentum went my way said Watson Nobody caught fire There werent too many birdies after 13Spieth missed a fivefoot par putt at the par5 eighth while Watson tapped in for birdie to put them both on seven under Watson curled in a tricky 12foot birdie putt at the ninth while Spieth lipped out a fivefoot par puttTwo twostroke swings in a row on this golf course is very difficult to come back from Spieth said Hats off to Bubba When hes playing like that its hard to catch himWatson fell to seven under with a bogey to begin the back nine his lead trimmed to a single shot but Amen Corner the courses famed 11th 12th and 13th holes dampened Spieths bid to rewrite the Masters record bookSpieth found a slope at the par3 12th and his ball rolled into Raes Creek on the way to a bogeyWatson drove the ball 360 yards at the par5 13th on his way to a birdie that left him exiting Amen Corner on eight under three ahead of Spieth and BlixtHis drive on 13 Ill never forget Spieth said I thought it was outofbounds 70 yards left and it was perfectFrom there Watson parred his way to the clubhouse risking an approach through trees at the par5 15th and a draw around tree limbs at 17 that paid off to help produce parsTed Scott Watsons caddie still marvels at some shotsEvery single day I just go How do you do that Scott said adding that as they walked up the 18th hole he asked Are you from Mars or something because I dont believe that you can hit these shots that you hitI just remember hanging onI dont remember the last few holes Watson said I just remember hanging on I was just thinking Make pars Make parsAfter Watson sank his final putt he tearfully hugged caddie Ted Scott picked up his twoyearold son Caleb and exchanged highfive hand slaps in a lap around the greenSeeing him what a blessing that is Watson said of his adopted child What an amazing feeling as a parentHaving my son means more to me than a green jacketWatson became only the third multiple winner over the past 22 majors joining Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson with two wins in that spanSpieth fired a 72 while Blixt shot 71Blixt could have been the first Swedish man to claim a major crown and Europes first Masters winner since Spains Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999Tiger Woods absent after surgery to ease a pinched nerve remained atop the rankings as those able to overtake him 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott fellow Australian Jason Day and Swede Henrik Stenson finished well back