Better known as Bubba Watson, the long hitter had to go to extra holes at the 2012 Masters to fight off Louis Oosthuizen to try for his first major of his career.
And in the end, it was the creativity of Watson's shots that propelled him to the green jacket at Augusta National.
Carving a wedge from the pine needles after hitting his drive well right on No. 10. The second of two extra holes the pair would play on Sunday.
Watson, who seemingly can shape a shot from any where on the course and in any direction. Hit his wedge from roughly 135 yards, with a hook (for a left-hander) that roped some 40 yards out of the trees. Finally hitting the green and spinning below and left of the hole.
"We had 135 front, is the only number I was looking at." Watson said, of his trick shot from the pine needles.
"I think we had like 164 hole, give or take, in that area, maybe a little less. And I hit 52‑degree, my gap wedge, hooked it about 40 yards, hit about 15 feet off the ground until it got under the tree and then started rising. Pretty easy." (Laughter).
Oosthuizen would also hit his tee shot off line. Though the South African had a much better look at the green than Watson did.
He would come up short on his approach, playing a pitch on his third shot to the back edge of the green. Needing a par putt to fall, to put any sort of pressure on Watson to continue the playoff match.
It would not fall. Setting the stage and two putts for Watson to win the green jacket and, his first major title of his career.
"It feels‑‑ it's just‑‑ I've never had a dream go this far, like I've been saying, so I can't really say it's a dream come true." Said Watson after winning his first major championship.
"It's just I don't even know what happened on the back nine. I know I made bogey on 12 and then I birdied four holes in a row. Nervous on every shot, every putt. Went into a playoff."
"I got in these trees and hit a crazy shot that I saw in my head and somehow I'm here talking to you with a green jacket on."
Watson would have to contend with history very early on from Oosthuizen in his final round pairing. When the 2010 Open Champion carded an Albatross on the par-five, second.
The former Faulkner State and Georgia Bulldog alum, who bogeyed his opening hole. Would go on to have a pretty pedestrian front-nine, making the turn in 35. Carding two birdies along with his opening bogey.
The back-nine however, is where he caught fire and chased down the leader.
After a dropped shot on the par-three, 12th. Watson would tear off four birdies in a row from holes 13 through 16 to get him into a tie for the lead.
With a par on No. 17, Watson would go to No. 18 with a putt to win the Masters in regulation play.
His putting, not his strong suit of late, would let him down here.
There would be a playoff, beginning back on No. 18 to decide the 2012 Masters.
The pair would exchange pars on No. 18. Masters playoffs rules state the two would go to No. 10 to continue the extra session.
Both players would push their tee shots off the tee at No. 10. Though Watson seemed to get the worst of the erred tee shots.
Oosthuizen had a clear shot to the green, though he came up short with his approach.
Watson on the other hand was some 40 yards off in the trees right of the fairway, with around 135 yards to the green.
Enter the creativeness of Watson.
Carving a wedge on a rope hook some 40 yards into the trees, in pine needles and 135 yards from the green. His shot propelled onto the putting services, taking a hard left from the spin when it hit.
He would have some 10 feet left for a shot to win the Masters.
Oosthuizen, would chip his ball to the back edge of the green for his third shot.
With Watson on the green, with a good look at birdie. He knew he had to jar this par putt to apply any pressure to Watson.
It wasn't meant to be for the South African.
Watson would now have two putts, to win the Masters.
His first putt rolled past the cup, to within six inches. At his request, the massive galleries refrained from their cheers, to allow him to align his putt.
Watson took just a brief moment behind the ball. Stepped up, knocked in his par putt and became the 2012 Masters Champion.
The guy who has never had a lesson. Never seen his golf swing analyzed on a computer monitor. From a town that most have perhaps never heard of. Is now a Masters Champion.
Your dreams may have never ran this far, Bubba. Now, you are living those dreams.
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