Europe’s secret weapon? Bubba Watson, possibly…

He’s a two-time major winner, has won three times on the PGA Tour this year and is playing in his fourth Ryder Cup this year. 

So, it feels a bit harsh to say that Bubba Watson is the man who could undermine the United States’ chances of winning back-to-back matches and on European soil for the first time in 25 years. 

It’s arguably true, though – and it’s got nothing to do with his ability to play golf.

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The 39-year-old is suffering the ill effects of a mystery bug that he said swept through approximately half of the field of the field during last week’s Tour Championship. 

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“I’m exhausted,” he said today, his voice audibly croaky. “A lot of us were kind of getting sick [last week].

“It kind of started through the locker room last week. There’s only 30 guys [in the Tour Championship] so I just happened to get it. I’ve got a weak immune system.”

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Asked if he’d passed on the bug to any of his teammates, Watson added. “I couldn’t care less about them. I’m trying to get me healthy.”

The opening shots of this year’s match will be struck in under 48 hours – plenty time for somebody else to be struck down by Bubba’s bug. 

Music, no doubt, to the ears of Europeans everywhere.