Bubba Watson is closing in on what would be his best ever finish on LIV Golf, with the two-time Masters champion going into the final round in the UK in second place.
In truth, it is hard to see anyone other than Joaquín Niemann winning LIV Golf UK. The Chilean is six shots clear of the chasing pack after two rounds in Uttoxeter. It would be a fifth win of the season for the Torque captain.
But there is no question that there are much better signs for Bubba Watson too.
The RangeGoats skipper is eight under par after rounds of 66 and 68. Should he hold onto his current position, he would seal his first individual podium since joining LIV Golf.
Bubba Watson explains the change he has made to his putting after impressive showing at LIV Golf UK
It has been a much better year for Watson. Of course, he had to make a business case to keep his place for the season after finishing in the drop zone last year.
And it seems that he is having more success on the greens. Perhaps that is largely down to a change which former caddie Ted Scott was encouraging him to make for a long time.
Speaking after his second round, Watson explained how having a heavier putter has helped him.
“We’ve always joked, Ted Scott, when he was with me for 15 years, we always joked if I could hit it about six inches further I’d win more tournaments. That’s what we tried to do. We tried to get a heavier hammer as we call it so the ball rolls a little bit further. It’s easier to get the distance. It’s been working so far,” he said.
Bubba Watson opens up on his game plan as he tries to catch Joaquín Niemann
Niemann has enough of a lead that he probably does not need to be at all aggressive. Watson would have to shoot his best round of the week just to catch the number Niemann is on now.
Nevertheless, Watson insisted that he is not going to make wholesale changes to his game plan in an attempt to try and put the pressure on the 26-year-old.
“No, I’m going to play it the same way. I’ve played well the last couple days. It’s up to him. It’s his golf tournament to win as of right now. If he goes out and plays half of what he’s doing today, he wins it. We’ve got to shoot 10-under or something like that. You’re just going to come out and try to have the best finish you can, and if he doesn’t start off hot maybe you put pressure on him and you can challenge,” he said.
It appears that Watson is not going to have anything like the same problems keeping his place in the league for 2026. He went into the week 31st in the individual standings, and he will almost certainly move up the ladder once the UK event is in the books.
And Watson expressed his delight with how his season is playing out.
“Yeah, it’s really good. I’m making the putts. Obviously caddie change. Listening to him on the greens, working with him on my putting, it’s been fun. It’s energized me. I feel like a young kid out here learning the game all over again,” he added.
“It’s exciting, and I’ve been calm, working on the mental side of it, and I’ve been calm out there on the golf course, and it’s paying off.”
Niemann birdied his first three holes on Saturday at JCB. If he does similar on Sunday, it is going to require one of the greatest rounds LIV Golf has ever seen for anyone to catch him.
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