Bubba Watson lost weight in the tail end of 2016 and early 2017, to the tune of some 20 lbs. He cut out sugar, ate fish for the first time, and he made protein and vegetables a focus of his diet.
Unfortunately for the two-time Masters champion, the weight loss and improved fitness have not correlated to equally improved form. This season, Watson has made 10 cuts in 17 starts, though he has recently showed signs of putting his game back together, including a Thursday 6-under 66 to start the 2017 RBC Canadian Open. He's using a new ball this year, but he's 4 yards shorter off the tee and has put pressure on other facets of his game.
“Yeah, we’ve been working — I got out of position with my swing over the last, man, probably about a year," said Watson at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. "You know, who knows why. Maybe because of losing weight. But that’s why I wanted to play so many rounds. That’s why I wanted to play six tournaments in a row so I can keep building on it and try to get better for the playoffs."
Watson is 117th in FedEx Cup points coming into the pre-playoffs final push, and he added events to give himself a chance to make sure he qualifies and is in better form for a run toward the Tour Championship. He's competing for a sixth consecutive week.
“Truthfully, I got my Tour card locked up for a few years, so I’m good," he said. "But my thing is just trying to get better at the game and I’ve got a little off. That’s why I threw in some more tournaments. This will be six in a row. This is my fourth one and I’ve got two more to go. So six in a row, try to get reps and try to get better in the game."
