Brennan: Bubba Watson more relaxed out of spotlight

AUGUSTA, Ga. — You remember Bubba Watson? The left-hander who says he has never taken a golf lesson? The fellow with the hardscrabble background from Bagdad, Fla.? The swashbuckling golfer with the improbable, curving shot out of the pines to win a playoff at the 2012 Masters?

He's back.

While most of the rest of the field at the 2014 Masters had its troubles, especially with an unrelenting afternoon wind, Watson played earlier in the day, and impeccably down the stretch, birdying five holes in a row, the 12th through the 16th, to shoot 7-under par over 36 holes and take a three-stroke lead halfway through the tournament.

"It's not science here," Watson said afterward. "Just close my eyes and putt. You know, they went in….It's try to hit the greens, and if you're hitting the greens that means you're obviously hitting your tee shots well. So that's all I'm trying to do is just hit the greens, that means my tee shots are good and two putts, maybe throw in a birdie here or there. So that's really all I was doing and that's what I've done the last two days and it's worked out so far."

The Watson way makes golf sound so easy, doesn't it? He is keeping it simple -- just finding it and hitting it again -- after admittedly getting caught up in all the trappings of winning the Masters two years ago.

"You've got to think about where I've come from, my mom having two jobs to pay for my golf, my dad working in construction," he said. "And when you think about that and where I am in my career and where I am in my family, my young family, you're thinking about how great this was. Besides the Lord, marrying my wife and having our child, it's right there, it's fourth or fifth on the list.

"So when you think about that, it's an accomplishment for a guy named Bubba, with my mom, my upbringing. My year, my career, was complete after that win."

Only problem was, he was 33 years old, in the prime of his career, not ready for retirement. But he had achieved the dream of a lifetime. And now he was being pushed and pulled this way and that.

"It drains you a lot more than you know," he said. "So as soon as you win, you get a green jacket on you. Every sponsor that you have, every company you represent, they want a piece of your time, they want more of your time. And yellow (Masters) flags? I've seen enough of those. I really don't want to sign too many more of those yellow flags. I think I've signed every single one since 2012."

It was just too much for him, and he got caught up in all of it as he arrived at the Masters as the returning champion a year ago.

"Media attention is on the defending champion," he said. "You're asked all these questions: 'Can you defend? How are you going to play? How are you going to do this?' You have to give up the green jacket. So there's a lot of things going on, media attention, when you're defending champion. I didn't know how to handle it the best way, and so I didn't play my best golf last year."

He started last year's Masters with a 3-over 75 and never recovered, finishing tied for 50th.

Then came this year. "I come in here with no media attention, just out there practicing," he said. "It's easier for me. Now I'm trying to get the jacket back. You're not the man anymore. The Champions Dinner is not about you, it's about Adam (Scott). I'm lost in the crowd, and I just go out and play golf the way I want to."

With rounds of 69 and 68, it's now his tournament to win. Asked how he was going to deal with the pressure of the weekend, Watson had an interesting answer for reporters in the interview room:

"I'll tell you tomorrow afternoon," he said, adding quickly with a smile, "hopefully I'm back here tomorrow afternoon."