Wednesday 8 April 2020 20:34, UK
In part two of James Haddock's five interviews with freshly-crowned Masters champions, he looks back on Bubba Watson's emotional first victory at Augusta in 2012.
Augusta National is blessed with great vantage points to watch the golf, the natural amphitheatres around many of the greens, especially 18, provide an incredible atmosphere all week but even more on the Sunday afternoon.
Working there, trying to get post-round thoughts and quotes from players, we gather with the rest of the world's media under the old oak tree outside the famous clubhouse. This is the gathering place through the week for players, caddies, their families, guests and managers as well as Augusta members and special guests.
No phones, so frequent trips to a screen of scores or peering over the heads of patrons to see the famous giant scoreboard below the 18th green are the best ways to keep in touch with progress on-course. It's one of the most enjoyable places to hang out and work throughout the year, despite the working restrictions that "no phones" brings, although that does also offer a sense of freedom from technology which is a joy in itself.
Beside the scoring rooms at the clubhouse sit the players locker room and a lounge area, as well as the grill room, a bar set-up with two big TV screens to keep up with the live coverage. In 2012 I was in there watching the drama unfold as Bubba Watson and Louis Oosthuizen overtook the overnight leader Peter Hanson and both finished the 72 holes tied for the lead.
Louis came off the course, signed his card and then strolled through the grill room to use the toilets and freshen up before heading back out for the play-off. He walked past me and a television colleague with a smile on his face and "hey boys, how are you?" How are we? We were fine, but he's still in this tournament - a mark of the personality of one of my favourite players (and favourite swings too) on tour.
It was not to be his day ultimately as he would lose out to a man who played one of the Masters' most iconic shots of recent times. The huge hook-draw Bubba Watson played from the pine straw off the side of the 10th fairway in amongst the trees is now marked with a plaque, one which patrons flock to see each year and imagine how on earth he played "that shot".
I've always found Bubba to be pretty engaging, insightful and often funny with his post-round interviews. Often unafraid to laugh at himself a little too, although sometimes the adrenaline and his natural enthusiasm means it's hard to keep up with him as he speaks so quickly, rattling through his answers.
More than three hours after his breakthrough Major victory, having been presented with his Green Jacket, before holding a lengthy press conference and dining with Augusta's members, Bubba headed into the grill room of the clubhouse where myself and some selected television colleagues had been waiting patiently for the champion.
All the furniture had now been cleared to the sides and an array of TV lights and cables were strewn everywhere as it had become a series of makeshift interview sets. ESPN were to go first, with one of their most respected journalists Tom Rinaldi.
During the set-up and while waiting for Bubba, he sat in the guest chair as his producer Jen asked him a question, while the camera positions and lights were fine tuned. She clearly has a great rapport with him and amid some joking around asked "with all the time you spend working away from home, will your young son remember you more for the times you were at home or the times you were not there?"
Wow! It stopped Tom in his tracks, into deep thought. His reply will stay with me forever. "Woa, that was good. Do you know what you did there? You created a moment, a pause, and in that moment - that was TV gold!"
That's what we're all aiming for as interviewers, as journalists, the moment where you get the honest, deep feeling truth out of someone rather than a rehearsed or well repeated answer.
Bubba entered the room, clearly with a wave of disbelief still washing over him. Rinaldi's interview was first. He's renowned for tugging at the heart strings with his interviews and his first question about Bubba's late father left the player with tears streaming down his face.
This was an emotionally charged room, more than any I had ever been involved in with golf.
This was not a time for statistics or specifics sitting across from a man overwhelmed by his own achievements. "What does it mean?" was hard for him to answer, it still hadn't sunk in - but by the time our interview was ending, "Bubba Watson Masters Champion - sounds pretty good doesn't it?" brought a smile to his face, while his eyes remained watery.
It's a privilege to be a part of these moments and to get a deep insight to the soul of the players. The joy, the tears, from where he had come from to now being Masters champion - this was a vindication of all Bubba had done, it validated him and his dreams as a player.
