Bubba Watson: Why He Will Win at Least 2 More Major Championships

Bubba Watson is no longer just a PGA Tour sideshow.

Since he joined the elite ranks of professional golf in 2006, Watson certainly displayed plenty of potential—and he even won a few tournaments along the way—but fans flocked to see him play golf primarily for one reason: he hit the ball "Bubba Long."

If you haven't seen him in person, I can tell you from watching him up close that when he hits the driver, it just makes a different sound. A scary sound.

A couple weeks ago, however, Watson gave spectators a new reason to follow him.

When he departed Augusta National Golf Club with a green jacket on his back as the winner of the 2012 Masters Tournament, it not only earned him his first major championship, it also proved that he could do a lot more than hit booming drives.

Of course, hitting the ball a long way is nothing to scoff at, especially when Watson uses it to his advantage, when he can keep himself out of trouble with all his preferred shot-shaping. But it pales in comparison to putting all the aspects of his game—both physical and mental—together to win golf tournaments, big golf tournaments.

Clutch putting. Emotional control. And yes, pulling off the incredible shot from time to time—like he did from the woods on No. 10 at Augusta to clinch the Masters.

For diehard fans of Watson, the improvements have been slow but sure. His first PGA Tour win came in 2010 at the Travelers Championship, and it seemed to open his mind for future success. He nearly won the PGA Championship that same year, losing in a playoff to Martin Kaymer. Then there were the two victories last year before his recent Masters triumph.

As Watson prepares this week to defend one of those aforementioned PGA Tour wins—his 2011 title at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans—it's time to consider just how good he can be and how many of those big golf tournaments he can win.

I think Watson is at a perfect place in his life to find success on the golf course. He proved that at the Masters.

Rather than allowing the life-changing addition of an infant son to distract his thoughts, he seemed to use the joyous event as fuel for success in the workplace.

It's like the old adage "success breeds success." In his case, I think a happy and contented Watson off the golf course leads to a more focused, more determined Watson on it.

Not that he hadn't been focused or determined in the past, but in a game where the competition is so intense from week to week, the slightest change, mentally or physically, can make all the difference.

With Bubba Watson, we are literally witnessing a new and improved version of his former self. The infamous temper tantrums are a thing of the past, and it seems he has found his "happy place" in life. I think he believes in himself now more than ever—thus, achievements beyond what he ever thought possible are now within his reach.

After the Masters, Watson said he couldn't believe what he had just accomplished because he had never gotten that far in his dreams. He had never seriously envisioned winning at Augusta.

Well, just as his first PGA Tour victory opened his mind for more wins, I think Watson's Masters victory is going to open the door for more major championship titles.