When tour pros are playing in the QBE Shootout, a two-person team event, if you’re not making birdies in bunches, you’re not going to have a chance. And if you can toss in an eagle every now and then, well even better.
That’s what Bubba Watson did on Friday during the opening round when paired with Lexi Thompson at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla., although it came with an unusual assist. And not from Thompson, but rather from an unsuspecting spectator watching the action by the green.
The par-4 13th hole was listed at 350 yards from the tee, so Watson went all in and pulled driver to give the green a go. His tee shot, however, didn’t fade as much as he wanted and was heading for the gallery when this happened:
There are fortunate bounces, and there are painful bounces, but you don’t see a lot of fortunate painful bounces. Almost fortunate enough to give Watson a hole-in-one on a par 4.
As the video showed, Watson successfully rolled in the 10-footer for eagle, and he and Thompson went on to post a 13-under 59 in Day 1’s scramble format to sit three shots off the lead of Jason Day and Marc Leishman.
As for the unfortunate fan, well he was rewarded for his painful role in the sage, as you can see here:
That’s cool. At least Watson gave him a souvenir he would be happy to bring home rather than just the souvenir welt on that right arm.