Bubba Watson collapses on back nine in bid for fourth Travelers Championship title

Bubba Watson entered the back nine in sole possession of the lead on Sunday at the Travelers Championship.

He exited tied for 19^th.

After playing the front in 3-under 32 to take a one-stroke lead in his bid for a fourth Travelers title, Watson shot 6-over 41 on the inward half at TPC River Highlands.

It began with a bogey at the par-4 14^th, which dropped him into a share of the lead with three others, including eventual playoff participants Kramer Hickok and Harris English.

And unfortunately for Watson, it didn’t stop there. He hit his tee shot into the water on the short par-4 15^th (bogey), three-putted the par-3 16^th (bogey), hit his approach shot into the water on the par-4 17^th (double bogey) and couldn’t get up and down from a greenside bunker at the par-4 18^th (bogey).

Watson finished with a 3-over 73 and six strokes out of the playoff, at 7 under par.

The three-time Travelers champion wasn’t all doom and gloom after the round, however, as he spoke to the media.

“Gosh, I’ve thrown up on myself before here. Made a triple on 16 to lose when I was up by one or two that year,” Watson said, referencing 2013, when he led by two strokes with three holes to play, only to hit his tee shot into the water on 16 and finish two strokes out of a playoff.

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As for this time around, Watson laments the missed opportunity, but hopes to put himself in the mix again, very soon.

“I’m glad that I was there, had the opportunity,” he said. “You know, I would love to do it again next week, throw up on myself again. It would it be great. I want to the opportunity and the chance to win.”