Golf

Bubba Watson thrilled to represent USA at the Olympics

Major champion also targeting an automatic place on Davis Love III’s Ryder Cup team

Bubba Watson: “What an honour and what a thrill to play for your country in the Olympics.” Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Bubba Watson: “What an honour and what a thrill to play for your country in the Olympics.” Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Thu Aug 04 2016 - 18:50

A hectic PGA Tour schedule has just become even busier for Bubba Watson but he would not have it any other way as he defends his Travelers Championship title in Cromwell, Connecticut.

Fresh from a tie for 60th at the PGA Championship on Sunday in the season’s final Major, the American left-hander is bidding to clinch a 10th career victory on the PGA Tour before he heads off to Rio de Janeiro to compete in the Olympics. Ireland’s Pádraig Harrington will follow the same itinerary.

After that, Watson will have the lucrative FedExCup playoffs to contend with before the Ryder Cup in Chaska, Minnesota, from September 30th-October 2nd where he hopes to represent the United States for a fourth time.

An honour

“Tournaments ask us all the time to play their events no matter what tour it’s on all around the world, and you have to prepare for that,” Watson, 37, said ahead of yesterday’s opening round at the TPC River Highlands. “

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Every year it’s getting tougher and tougher because of the tour schedule.

“When they made that call . . . that the Olympics were going to happen, I started preparing for it. I don’t know about anybody else, but I started preparing for it. What an honour and what a thrill to play for your country in the Olympics. Just to be part of the Olympics. Who cares if I finish dead last? Just to be part of the Olympics is a big honour and thrill.”

As things stand, twice Masters champion Watson is one spot outside the top eight automatic qualifiers for the Ryder Cup, to be decided after The Barclays tournament ends on August 28th.

“My thoughts are play good here,” said Watson, before hinting he might also compete in the Wyndham Championship (August 18th) in Greensboro, North Carolina, to help boost his Ryder Cup bid.

“Normally I don’t play Wyndham to get ready for the playoffs but we (he and his management team) looked at trying to maybe play there if I don’t play as well as I want to here just so I can get more points.

“I don’t want to go off a [captain’s] pick. I’ll take a pick all day long, but it’s better to set yourself on that team than rely on a pick.”

US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III will add four wildcard selections in September to complete his 12-man team to take on Europe. ”