May 3 (Reuters) – Masters champion Bubba Watson has opted to
miss next week’s elite Players Championship at Sawgrass to spend
more time at home with his wife Angie and their recently adopted
two-month-old son Caleb.
American left-hander Watson announced the decision on his
Twitter feed on Thursday, saying he wanted to establish stronger
bonds with his family.
“I need to spend more time with Caleb and Angie, plan to
take at least a month off,” Watson tweeted. “The Players is one
of the best weeks of the year but bonding with my son and wife
is what it is all about right now.”
Watson has played just once since winning his first major in
a playoff with South African Louis Oosthuizen at the Masters,
tying for 18th at last week’s New Orleans Classic where he
repeatedly said he was missing his family.
The long-hitting American had felt obliged to compete in New
Orleans since he was the defending champion.
“Sorry to disappoint fans but the Players has one of the
best fields all year, tourney is more than fine without me,”
said Watson. “I feel blessed and excited that I get to spend
quality time with Caleb and Angie in the next few weeks.”
The $9.5 million Players Championship, widely regarded as
the unofficial fifth major, attracts one of the strongest fields
in golf. It will be played from May 10-13 at Ponte Vedra Beach
in Florida where South Korean K.J. Choi will defend his title.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by
Frank Pingue)
© Thomson Reuters 2012 All rights reserved
