Genesis: Bagdad's Bubba Gets His 10th Win But Won't Be Retiring Any Time Soon

Love him or wonder about him, Bubba Watson is now a three-time winner at Riviera, joining elite company and solidifying his place as a genuine LA golf legend. He's now the PGA Tour's second-winningest lefty, still 32 wins behind Phil Mickelson. He also reached the win that would set retirement in motion, but quickly shot that down following play.  Doug Ferguson's AP game story with all of the details.

A few of the fun wrap-up stories capture what turned out to be a more bunched Riviera leaderboard than normal and a very typical ending where the leader emerges convincingly. Eamon Lynch for Golfweek on that topic and Adam Schupak at Golf.com on Bubba's wacky week.

Other than a few hiccups at the third, sixth and ninth holes, Watson plotted his way around Riviera in the appropriately caution fashion. The hole-out at the 14th all but sealed the tournament just moments after the leaderboard suggested a four man playoff was looming.

 
And because it's Bubba, there is a story behind the madness. G.C. Digital with the story.

PGATour.com's Mike McAllister with a roundup of the week and some nice notes and stats from Bubba’s win.

Slow play and players not finishing the round at Riviera may finally get a hard look via a reduced field size, reports The Forecaddie.

Tiger turns up at the Honda this week and I assess his Riviera and upcoming prospects for Golfweek's Monday weekly edition.

Rory McIlroy says his T-20 did not reflect how he played, reports Will Gray.

Jordan Spieth leaves Riviera bullish about his game after a backdoor top 10. Gray reports for GolfChannel.com.

Martin Kaufmann takes issue with some of Ian Baker-Finch's Sunday commentary related to Patrick Cantlay and celebrates the latest technology tool rolled out by CBS.

The full final round highlights: 

Comments

[chico]

So the answer to slow play on tour is smaller fields? Hmmm-disappointing.

[Zimmer]

Bagdad, FL Baghdad, Iraq

[D. maculata]

Today you'll hardly ever see a child who deserves it, be disciplined in public by the parent for fear of being viewed as a monster or worse. That's what we have here, Chico. The Tour is dealing with spoiled children.

[mark]

With 144, that is 12 groups of 3 going out at 10 minuet intervals, for 2 hours of time each wave. The guys should be able to play in 4:30. If you need a little more time, Why not just get rid of one group each side, for a 132 field size?

Or as we seen, the course is good, just put the hole in better spots so they can get around in 4:30. Hackers do this all the time at most public courses.

Or, as a last resort, have the new @clubproguy's new head of rangers train a group of rangers for the tour.

[Patchy]

Another champion who had to battle the course and the ridiculous slow play antics of his playing partner.

I think Cantlay is still wiggling his feet in anticipation of thinking about contemplating pulling the putter back.

[digsouth]

Agree Chico. smaller fields= slower players now think they have MORE time to not hit shots.

While on the subject of fields honed to TV time, as the MDF indicates double cut- WHEN IS A PRODUCER GOING TO HAVE THE CADDIES MADE AWARE OF TV CAMERA PLACEMENT in the practice rounds: while all the network directors have (finally) started showing more approach shots, and less putting-- there is still a far greater amount of TV time spent on the greens, real or imagined. So if you are going to show putts, then show the dam ball going in the hole, not some caddies back hoisting the upside down flag over his his shoulder. I'm sure Genesis has spent millions of dollars to have the caddie bib onscreen, while the ball has (allegedly) gone in, lipped out, or missed by just that much, the alleged hole. WTF!!! ?

And again -hit a wild one -yell fore, or two strokes! basic golf 101/// dig

[Twilight Putter]

Agree with Kaufmann. The next time Finchy says something interesting will be his first.

[Schlasser]

Maybe the tour reducing the size of the fields will send the appropriate message. If you're an alternate that would have gotten in a full-field event that was reduced due to slow play you might be motivated to speak up and that's where it starts.

[BDF]

It doesn't even look like the backstopping thing even bothers any of these guys anymore. It is so blatent, it has become normalized. It is very disappointing to see these guys thumb their noses at 'protecting the field'.

[digsouth]

BDF-

was ther oe shot helped by BS ing? Maybe I missed it/// dig

[GinGHIN]

Digs - please point us to the rule that says cheating has to pay off before it's cheating.

[Greg B.]

IBF has been one of the several weak spots in CBS Golf's commentary team ever since arriving there from ABC. He serves the same thin gruel each week. I'm sure he must be capable of better. He strikes me as a voice in need of some coaching by producers.

In contrast, I was shocked on Saturday's coverage to hear Nantz and Faldo discussing Bubba's golf ball change with a degree of candor to which I am unaccustomed to hear from them. They (paraphrasing) said in no uncertain terms that the ball he was using last year not only failed to perform well but even had a bad sound when struck, which threw off his game. I'm sure the folks at Volvik must have been thrilled to hear that.

[Soro B]

@ Greg B., I loved the Volvik commentary. This is the kind of thing we need to hear to engage the viewer.

[P Thomas]

It was quite a few years ago, but pace of play was not faster in the limited field events of like Harbor Town, colonial and one of the other
Invitationals. And those are smaller fields filled with the top money winners

Basically, smaller fields do NOT change the pace of play on Sunday when the field has been cut. It’s a plan thrown out once in awhile to placate the whiners who don’t care that a number of players won’t be playing anymore so they can hopefully pick up 10-15 minutes of time at best.

They could do something radical like enforce pace of play rules....I know that’s crazy, but.....

[Chicago pt]

Re the Volvik ball discussion, Nantz
Is still on the titleist payroll yes?

[BDF]

Digs, I wasn't watching closely enough to give an exact hole and group, but at least twice on Saturday and once on Sunday a player was chipping beside the green, not more than 40' from the hole, and there was a ball right beside the hole from the guy who chipped from 70-80'. The balls did not touch in any of the shots I watched, but the ball at rest was left intentionally without doubt.

[Marmooskapaul]

I'm confused..I didn't think the modern ball could be worked ..left or right..like the old days? Bubba played 4 great rounds of golf and the tournament moved along much faster than the ridiculous excuse for a race in Daytona!!!

[nancy]

Great fun to watch Bubba win again. The best part of this is he's so just "Bubba" and how makes it work his way. I listen and read all the commentary...they never know! That's what is great about golf...we can talk all we want but it's basically the back 9 and then some.

[Nike]

Saw a Masters replay last week and Tiger was paired with Gary Player. Pretty sure it was the 15th hole and Player was in the right greenside bunker playing to a pin well across the green. Tiger was going to play next from a spot closer to the pin and behind the green.

Gary hit a really good sand shot to about 2-feet. He comes out of the bunker and literally sprints across the green in order to mark the ball before Tiger plays from behind the green.

Eye-opening and funny.