Open Championship: Bubba Watson admits he lost focus at Hoylake
Last Updated: 17/07/14 10:05pm
Masters champion Bubba Watson complained about the number of people following his group inside the ropes but admitted he had only himself to blame for a four-over round of 76 at the 143rd Open Championship.
After hitting his approach to the 394-yard 11th, the left-hander was heard on television saying: "There's just a thousand people in this fairway, all I want to do is play golf, that's all I want to do."
Up to that point the 35-year-old had kept his game in check, having played the first 10 holes in one under, but afterwards he had a triple bogey seven at 11 and dropped three further shots with only one birdie as he came home in 42.
Nobody else was having that problem, it was just me, and I just let it go on that one hole and it cost me dearly.
Bubba Watson
"It was good for 10 holes. I lost focus on 11- it was a short hole, middle of the fairway, I just forgot what I was doing," said the American.
"I asked my caddie about four times what the distance was and I never got comfortable over the shot.
"A lot of stuff was happening in the background but it was my fault.
"There was about 40 people in our fairway, inside the ropes with cameramen, and I don't know, some other people and a bunch of other people.
"It makes it tough for me because I lose focus real fast. But there was no phone problem, no fan problem.
"Nobody else was having that problem, it was just me, and I just let it go on that one hole and it cost me dearly."
Playing partner Phil Mickelson was asked whether he thought there were too many people inside the ropes.
"It's not a problem, it's just a different culture than what we're used to. That's all," he said.
