Bubba Withdraws from Players Championship


Saying he needs to spend time with his wife and newly adopted son, Bubba Watson has withdrawn from the Players Championship. The reigning Masters champion let his decision be known via his Twitter account.

"I've decided to pull out of the Players," Watson wrote. "I need to spend more time with Caleb and Angie, plan to take at least a month off. The Players is one of the best weeks of the year but bonding with my son and wife is what it is all about right now.

"Sorry to disappoint fans but the Players has one of the best fields all year; tourney is more than fine without me."

The Watsons adopted their month-old son just two weeks before the Masters, which the 33-year-old won on the second playoff hole over South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen. PGA officials expressed understanding of his decision. "We respect Bubba's decision in light of the unique and life-changing circumstances of the past month," said the Tour's Ty Votaw in a statement.

"His focus on his family is admirable, as was his decision to honor his commitment to [last week's] Zurich Classic of New Orleans as defending champion. We look forward to having him back on the tour soon."

For the same family reasons, Watson is not playing in this week's Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte and will be missing the largest purse in golf in the Players Championship, which starts May 10th at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.