Bubba: The pressure’s on Rory

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Bubba Watson may be in sight of an incredible third Masters crown, but he reckons all the pressure at Augusta will be on Rory McIlroy.

Watson will be aiming to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only players to win consecutive green jackets, and could join the likes of Sam Snead and Gary Player by becoming only the sixth three-time winner.

But with World No 1 looking to complete the career Grand Slam at age 25, having already triumphed at the US Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship, Watson reckons the eyes of the golfing world will instead be upon him.

“I don’t have any pressure,” said Watson. “I’ve already got two jackets.

“Obviously, I think he (McIlroy) would have more pressure than me, because look at the talent he has and the records he could beat when he gets older.”

Watson does think the pressure on McIlroy will largely be self-inflicted, as the Northern Irishman still has many years ahead of him in order to complete the Grand Slam.

“I don’t call it pressure at all from McIlroy. I call it an accomplishment he’s trying to do,” he explained.

“He’s got years, he’s got his whole life to try to win the Masters, but obviously … he’s going to put pressure on himself.”

For Watson, the mere fact that he is a two-time Masters champion is already an incredible achievement, a point that’s pretty hard to argue.

“Who cares about three times, let’s just talk about twice,” he said.

“I’m from a small town, a guy named Bubba, never had a lesson.

“I just see it as what a dream it is to play on the PGA Tour, somehow now got two Masters jackets. Pretty wild and pretty crazy stuff.”

Crazy stuff, indeed.

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