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– Watson claimed play-off victory in Shanghai
– Win was Masters champs first outside of the USA
– Improving on-course behaviour is a focus for the American

Bubba Watson

He may well have just become only the third player in the history of the game to win a major and a World Golf Championship title in the same year, but Bubba Watson says he is still ‘learning’ how to improve as a player and a person.

Speaking after his dramatic play-off victory over South African Tim Clark at the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, Bubba Watson said he believes he has had a ‘great year’, but it is one where he realised he has to improve when it comes to his behaviour on the course.

The low point of the year for the 36-year-old came during the final major of the year when he audibly cursed during the tournament, continuously complained about the wet conditions and even had caddie Ted Scott tee the ball up for him to avoid getting wet.

“It’s all about learning, and learning the process,” said the two-time Masters champion. “I think the big learning curve that I had was the PGA Championship when the media and people on Twitter called me out on my issues and I hopefully resolved them. I’m still going to mess up some days, though.”

Bubba Watson ‘called out’ on behaviour

Watson had also discussed his on-course behaviour before the tournament got under way and revealed that it is the people he has close to him that help to steer him back on the right track whenever he strays, in particular his mum, Molly.

“She tells me that I’m not being good,” said Bubba Watson. “She tells me I should smile more and not be so angry. Pretty much what the media says. I guess she could write for the media, too.

“When I make mistakes, when your friends call you out, when the media calls you out, when my wife call me out, when my mum calls me out, when those people call you out and tell you you’re doing something wrong, it’s not to punish you. It’s not to get on you. It’s to help you improve later in life.”

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