8 days to the prestigious Masters Championship 2025! Expect an adrenaline-filled field from Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. McIlroy has already bagged two victories in the season. On the other hand, Scheffler has a T3 finish at the Genesis Invitational and a T2 at the Houston Open. Well, the notable contenders are not only from the PGA Tour, as some of the top names from the Saudi-backed league are also up for The Masters.

Earlier, Phil Mickelson, after his solo third finish at the LIV Golf Hong Kong event, shared the optimism of getting his form back for the Masters. Not just him, but Bubba Watson might be the one who would turn heads with his performance. He qualified to participate after his performance and ranking declined. Unlike the US Open, there aren’t any special criteria for the LIV golfers to be eligible for the Masters. The event teeing off at the Augusta National has different criteria for qualification – as apart from the top 50 golfers on the OWGR, the rest get invited or receive an exemption to participate.

For Bubba Watson, OWGR and recent wins are not the criteria to get through the event’s roster. Watson is currently ranked 1819 and his last win came in 2018 at the Travelers Championship. But, his two green jackets are the savior for him. As per the qualification criteria, past Green Jacket winners receive a lifetime exemption to the tournament.

The 46-year-old won the Masters Championship in 2012, beating Louis Oosthuizen in the playoff, and in 2014, beating Jonas Blixt and Jordan Spieth by 3 strokes. He became one of the 18 players who have won the event more than once. For Watson, it has been the key to his name on the roster. What about his form? Last November, during the Indonesian Masters, Watson made headlines by achieving a hole-in-one on the par-3 11th hole.

But, he struggled at Augusta in 2024, missing the cut after rounds of 74 and 80 (+10). His campaign ended after two rounds, falling short of the 6-over cut line. A year before that, he had missed the cut after rounds of 77 and 76, at 153 strokes (+9). So, even though he believes he can contend for the Masters 2025, his ongoing form’s worry would tag along.

Bubba Watson’s mindset ahead of 2025 Masters

The golfer was recently featured in an interview with GOLF.COM where the interviewer asked, “Do you think you can contend there again?” Answering for which he bluntly stated, “I truly do.” Further, he continues to say how the priorities of the fans have changed. But apart from that, there is another worry that might be a major cause of stress for him.

With 15 professional wins under his name, he switched to LIV Golf, and since then, there have been no wins. Even with the ongoing 2025 schedule, his best finish came at the LIV Golf Riyadh, where he was placed T12. Following that, the golfer saw a decline in his position. At Adelaide, he was T21, and at the last two Hong Kong and Singapore, he was T30 and T38, respectively. “I would say lighter winds make it a better chance for me,” he said about his expectations for the Masters. “I think the conditions are right. The weather dictates every golf tournament but around there the wind dictates most of it,” he continued, prioritizing weather conditions in his preparation for the event this year.

Bubba’s drop in performance and the inconsistency of staying under par might be a problem for the Masters. What are your thoughts on his performance at the Masters? Share your thoughts in the comments below.