April 08--AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Like so many putts at Augusta National, Bubba Watson can be difficult to read.
The public views him as a long-hitting goofball, a good ol' boy with a homemade swing who cries when someone asks about his adopted kids.
But many of Watson's fellow PGA Tour pros view him as disingenuous, and an anonymous ESPN.com survey seemed to confirm that. The survey listed Watson as the peer they would be least likely to help in a parking lot fistfight.
True to form, Watson's reaction was unexpected.
"I take it with pride," he said. "I take it as I need to improve as a man. If it's a bad thing and people don't like me, then I've got to improve and prove them wrong."
How many other players would have said they either didn't see the result or didn't care? Not Watson, who is vying to join Jack Nicklaus (1963, '65, '66) as the only players to win three Masters in four years.
Even more surprising, Watson said he named himself in the poll.
"I'm not going to call out anybody (else)," he said. "There's nobody I dislike on tour. I dislike them if they beat me, but I don't dislike them as a person. ... I've never been in a fight in my life, so if I was in a fight, it was my fault. I caused somebody to get angry. So, yeah, I wouldn't help myself either."
Mr. Handsome: Henrik Stenson is ranked second in the world behind Rory McIlroy and ahead of Watson. Both are getting far more attention than the affable Swede.
Asked where he has an advantage over McIlroy and Watson, he replied: "Better-looking."
Stenson has no top-10 finishes in nine Masters starts, and he's not in top form after getting knocked out last week by the flu.
"The good thing is, expectations are kind of out of the window," he said. "I'm just happy to be able to peg it up on Thursday."
Rain man: Thunderstorms hit Augusta National on Tuesday afternoon, and more rain is expected Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. That is thought to favor big hitters such as McIlroy, who can still pound it 300 yards on slow fairways and romped at the soggy 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional.
"Distance is going to be a huge element this week," Phil Mickelson said. "With the greens very soft and receptive, the longer hitters will be able to reach the par-5s and get the ball stopped on the greens."
