Bubba Watson
A self-taught golfer with a wildly creative swing who smashed convention to win two green jackets with breathtaking power and imagination.
Born 1978 (age 48)·American professional golfer·Birthday: November 5·Generation X
Biography
Bubba Watson rewrote the manual on how to reach golf's pinnacle. Hailing from Bagdad, Florida, he never took a formal lesson, crafting his game by hitting wiffle balls in his yard and developing a swing that is a unique spectacle of flexibility and raw power. His path was unconventional, but his talent was undeniable. Watson's career is defined by two seismic moments at Augusta National, where his left-handed artistry and fearless shot-making conquered the Masters. The first in 2012 was sealed with a miraculous hook shot from the pine straw on the second playoff hole, a stroke of audacious genius. He backed it up with another victory in 2014, proving it was no fluke. Beyond his driving distance records, Watson's persona—embracing his nickname, owning a hovercraft, and driving the General Lee—made him one of the sport's most recognizable and polarizing figures.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Bubba was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bubba Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Bubba's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Masters Tournament in 2012 and 2014, claiming two major championships.
- Reached a career-high ranking of world number two in February 2015.
- Has recorded 12 victories on the PGA Tour.
- Captained the RangeGoats GC team in the LIV Golf League after joining in 2022.
Did You Know?
He purchased the original General Lee car from the TV show 'The Dukes of Hazzard' for $110,000.
Watson is colorblind and has stated he cannot see the flag clearly against the sky.
He and his wife, Angie, adopted their son, Caleb, just before his first Masters win in 2012.
He drove a hovercraft golf cart dubbed the 'Bubba Hover' during a practice round at the Masters.
“I've never had a lesson. I just grip it and rip it.”
