Refocused Watson letting putter do the heavy lifting
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
GRAND BLANC, Mich. -- People weren't kidding when they told Bubba Watson the fairways at Warwick Hills were hard to hit.
Not that he's let it bother him, though. If need be, the big-hitting Floridian doesn't mind playing out of the rough -- or from behind a tree, for that matter -- and he will start the final round of his first Buick Open two strokes off the lead.
Watson fired a 68 on Saturday to move into a tie at 14 under with Dudley Hart and Woody Austin. The round was his third straight in the 60s at Warwick Hills and seventh consecutive overall, counting that tie for sixth last week at the Travelers Championship.
The 29-year-old who leads the PGA TOUR in driving distance has only hit 17 of 42 fairways this week -- which is tied for 65th in that category -- but he's still managed to make 17 birdies. He hasn't dropped a shot to par over the last 36 holes, either.
"The first three days have been good," Watson said. "My first year here, didn't know what to expect. They said the fairways were a little hard to hit. They are tight and so far so good for me, even though I haven't hit that many fairways. (I've) putted well."
Interestingly, Daniel Chopra, who owns the lead at 16 under, is also taking the more adventurous route. The Swede, who won the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, joins Watson in hitting fairways at a 40.48 percent clip.
Watson, though, took exception to a reporter who characterized his approach to the game as "bomb and gouge." He plays to his strength, which is the long ball, but Watson, who averages 312 yards off the tee, would much prefer to be hitting his irons from the short grass.
"I'm trying to play golf," he said. "And the way I play golf, I just have to be long. If I was short, I would hit it short, try to chip and putt real good and I just happen to hit it long. I'm trying to hit the fairways just like everybody else.
"So far this week, I've managed my game well and I'm talking to you guys right now with a chance to win tomorrow.
Should Watson manage to overtake Chopra on Sunday, the win would be his first in three seasons on the PGA TOUR. And the putter -- not that pink-shafted driver -- will likely get the bulk of the credit for the victory.
Need proof? Well, Watson was 181st in putting on TOUR when he came to Warwick Hills, but he ranks sixth in putting this week.
Watson had undergone an attitude adjustment of sorts, as well. After he missed the cut at the Memorial Tournament, where he shot an 84 in the second round, Watson decided he needed to change his thinking and become more committed to every shot.
The U.S. Open wasn't exactly the optimum place to expect to see results. Watson didn't let that missed cut get to him, though, and he followed up with that tie for sixth in Hartford and a win with Camilo Villegas in the CVS/Caremark Charity Classic Tuesday.
"(I was) just trying to change my thinking ... and take more time behind the ball and just think about the shot ... I want to hit and be committed to it," Watson said. "If I hit a bad shot, at least I'm committed and gave it my best effort; just had a bad swing at that time.
"... (I) feel confident and raring to go here and so far so, good the first three days. The tough day is the last day, though."
With 14 players within five strokes of the lead on a course that is playing about a stroke-and-a-half under par, Watson knows he'll need to make birdies on Sunday. At the same time, he needs to be patient, which is a delicate balance to have.
"It's a birdie-fest and if you miss putts and get down on yourself, you can play yourself out of it even though you were right there and had a chance to win," Watson said. "If you watched No. 1 and No. 2 today, I struggled. Looked like I was a beginner. ...
"(But) I made two pars and just kept telling myself, just calm down, we have 16 more holes and just hang in there. (I shot) four under the rest of the way, and here I am talking to you guys."
And that's exactly where he'd like to be on Sunday.
"I'm going in there with my mind-set of, I'm going to be committed to every shot, and to every putt, try to get the best stroke on every putt," Watson said. "At the end of the day when we add them up and I win, I win, and if I don't, then I gave it my best effort."
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