Bubba Watson and the Most Likable Figures in Sports

Bubba Watson captured the hearts of America as he finished out his round on Sunday at Augusta National.

Emotions poured out of Watson after winning his first green jacket, and the gallery as well as fans across the country embraced him.

Many other figures in sports are popular throughout the country.

Some athletes have a personality or success stories, which make them easy to root for no matter the team he or she plays for.

Watson's performance at the 2012 Masters and his increased popularity make it an appropriate time to review some of the other popular athletes in sports.

Here's a look at Watson and other popular athletes in various sports.

1. Bubba Watson

Bubba Watson's incredible Masters performance is the reason for this list, so he leads it off.

The majority of the gallery at Augusta National was clearly rooting for Watson over Louis Oosthuizen as the two headed for a playoff.

Watson lost his father, Gerry Watson, 18 months ago to a battle with cancer. His wife, Angie, had a scare of her own with cancer but, thankfully, is not a problem anymore.

Recently, the Watson's adopted a baby boy after being turned down multiple times in the strenuous adoption process.

Watson has dealt with tough situations in his life, which people can relate to.

The humbling experiences have helped to mold his personality.

After winning the Masters, Watson's Twitter page was full of tweets in which he thanked followers individually for congratulating him on the win.

It's an example of the Christian lifestyle that Watson strives to reveal on or off the course.

Watson gained many fans after his win at the 2012 Masters. He'll continue to gain more as he wins but still remains the same "ole Bubba."

2. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning had a roller-coaster offseason which eventually ended with him signing with the Denver Broncos.

Manning handled the situation with class the entire way. Many veterans would feel betrayed by the organization and take shots as they headed out of the city.

Instead, Manning went out of his way to thank the organization for his time there and even called members of the media to thank them for all their hard work.

The former Super Bowl MVP is beginning a new era in Denver, but is still the same person who is one of the faces of the NFL.

Manning is recognized nationally thanks to his involvement in commercials and hosting Saturday Night Live. He's smart, funny and outgoing while being a good representative of the NFL.

The closest thing to an off-the-field mishap was calling Mike Vanderjagt an "idiot kicker" in 2003.

After graduating from the University of Tennessee, many people across the state rooted for the Colts the past decade simply because Manning was the quarterback.

Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and is well-liked across the country.

3. Drew Brees

Another quarterback in the NFL who is popular is Drew Brees.

Since Brees became a New Orleans Saint, he transformed the franchise into a Super Bowl contender every season and even brought the city a championship.

Brees not only transformed the team on the field, but has also made major contributions in the community. The town needed a lift after Hurricane Katrina destroyed it in 2005, and Brees was unafraid of coming to New Orleans.

Brees viewed it as an opportunity to help a place out rather than it being a burden.

The QB has also set up The Drew Brees Dream Foundation to advance research of cancer, and has contributed millions of dollars to that cause.

Fans across the country remember Brees holding his son in the air after winning the Super Bowl in 2009.

That moment is a representation of the priorities in his life.

Brees is a family man first and foremost and a great citizen of New Orleans who just so happens to be an elite football player.

Fans of all teams see that and greatly respect Brees.

4. Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby is the face of the NHL and has been since he was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2005.

Crosby immediately impacted the NHL in his first season.

Crosby finished his rookie season sixth in points with 102. By his second season, Crosby led the league in points with 120.

Sid the Kid possesses incredible offensive skills which have caused people to compare him to Wayne Gretzky.

Crosby's journey to greatness has recently been interrupted due to some major concussion issues.

However, when on the ice, it's impossible to deny his talents.

Crosby is also widely known for being one of the nicer guys in a sport known for its toughness and grit. His personality, combined with his amazing skills, has led him to be the leader in jersey sales in the NHL the last six seasons.

Crosby has clearly been frustrated in the 2012 playoffs. However, he's still the most popular player in the NHL by far.

5. Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter is the face of the New York Yankees and has consistently been one of the team's best players.

It's surprising that the best player of a team nicknamed "The Evil Empire" would be one of the most popular athletes in the world.

People love to hate the Yankees, but even the majority of those people have a great deal of respect for Jeter.

Jeter has been the shortstop of the Yankees since 1995, and was the centerpiece of five championships. He has proved to be a leader with many signature moments, including bloodying his face by running full speed into the stands at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees captain has consistently been clutch in the playoffs, making plays such as "the flip" against the Oakland Athletics or hitting a 10th-inning home run in the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

There have many other Yankee greats who have put up more gaudy numbers.

However, nobody questions whether Jeter is a winner or a leader.

6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has had a disappointing career so far, but that doesn't matter to his fans.

Earnhardt has some of the most loyal fans in all of sports.

Winning the NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award nine times despite only winning 18 times in his career, Earnhardt is the leader by far among current drivers in winning the award.

His father, Dale Earnhardt, Sr., was one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time and many of his fans became fans of Earnhardt, Jr. after his death at the Daytona 500 in 2001.

The signature moment of Earnhardt's career came at the following race at Daytona. He won the Pepsi 400, which is ran at the same track as the Daytona 500.

Earnhardt has not had near the success to this point of his career as his father enjoyed. This season, he's currently third in the points standings, but is in the middle of a 134-race winless streak.

It doesn't matter to his fans—Earnhardt will continue to be the most popular driver in the sport for years to come.

7. Kevin Durant

Right now, The NBA has a ton of superstars playing in the league.

The most popular superstar now is Kevin Durant.

Ever since LeBron James "took his talents to South Beach," Durant took over as the most popular player in the NBA.

Durant has not left Oklahoma City for a larger market or attempted to team up with another superstar like so many other players in the NBA are doing.

Instead, Durant has embraced Oklahoma City and recently signed a five-year extension to remain with the Thunder.

Durant is second in the league in scoring at 27.8 points per game, but takes four fewer shots than current leader Kobe Bryant.

He has also led the Thunder to the best record in the Western Conference, and many experts believe Durant should win MVP of the league.

Durant is a quiet superstar, who is hard to hate if you're a fan of basketball.

8. Jeremy Lin

Linsanity is temporarily on hold because of an injury, but there's no doubt that Jeremy Lin has already become a polarizing figure.

Americans love an underdog story, and Lin's story is just that.

Lin received zero scholarship offers out of high school and was undrafted out of Harvard. He was assigned to the NBA D-League three different times and was waived by both the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets.

Lin finally got his opportunity with the New York Knicks and took the entire league by storm. He hit game-winning shots, made plays from the point guard position and led the Knicks on a winning streak.

Lin is also one of the very few Asian American players in NBA history.

A writer for ESPN.com wrote an offensive headline concerning Lin's Asian descent. Lin took the man out for lunch and didn't discuss the incident.

Lin showed his humility in his early stardom, always focusing the attention on his teammates rather than himself.

It's hard not to appreciate the journey Lin took to the NBA. Hopefully, he can return from his injury and become a mainstay in the NBA.