It's safe to say that Bubba Watson likely won't enjoy the success Tiger Woods has achieved in professional golf. How ironic, then that Wood probably would love to trade places with Watson right about now.
Watson, currently the No. 2 golfer in the world, withdrew from the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Wednesday - one day before the start of the event - to attend the funeral of a friend.
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According to CBSSports.com, Watson is not scheduled to play any other events before the Masters on April 9-12. He is the defending champion at Augusta and will try to become only the fourth player ever to win back-to-back Masters.
If Watson, who has two Masters' green jackets (from 2012 and 2014), doesn't win this year's event, the missed opportunity won't consume him.
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Woods wishes he could be so lucky. The greatest golfer of his generation, Woods won 14 majors from 1999-2008, in large part because his competitive drive was too afraid of failure and of not catching Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majors.
He basically won the '08 U.S. Open on one leg. But then, his very public divorce from Elin Nordegren over discovery of his extra-marital affairs destroyed his aura of invincibility. As he rebuilt himself, he has reprioritized his goals, according to ex-caddy Sean Foley. Family now comes first, and Woods doesn't practice as much as he did before he became a father.
Because of the shift in priorities, however, his golf game has fallen apart. But Woods still has to deal with his former invincibility. Now when Woods misses a cut or has to withdraw because of injury, he dominates headlines, even at the expense of the other players who are winning those events.
And so Woods has gone into hiding until he is satisfied that he can compete to win events again. And that may never happen.
Watson can take off on the eve of a tournament that has the other four top-five players and barely cause a ripple in sports headlines. He can put his chances at defending his title at the Masters at risk, and life goes on.
Woods may never have that luxury as long as he keeps playing. Yet, it's Watson who's currently No. 2 and Woods who's yearning to rediscover his game.
Who will have a better golf career from here on out: Bubba Watson or Tiger Woods? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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