How Bubba Watson's son gave him perspective on life
Moments after Bubba Watson's final putt that secured his second Masters title Sunday, his 2-year-old son, Caleb, waddled onto the green to be embraced by his father. Watson's wife followed soon after, and the whole family basked in the moment of victory.
"It was wild, to have my son there, to have my wife there, my family there -- what a dream," Watson said Tuesday on "CBS This Morning."
It was a particularly special moment for Watson and his family. When he won the 2012 Masters, he and his wife had recently adopted his son, so his wife and Caleb watched from home.
"The hard work, the hard times it took to get a child, to adopt a child, really paid off," Watson said.
The first thing he said to his wife and son after winning was that he loved them.
Watson, whose dad nicknamed him "Bubba" after NFL player Bubba Smith, said Caleb is teaching him how precious life is.
"He puts life in perspective," he said. "Golf is a game. When I play bad, he doesn't care. When I play great, he doesn't care. All he cares about is, 'Daddy give him a hug, Daddy pick him up.'"
In addition to his family, another influence on Watson's game is his faith.
"Looking at my son, I want to be as Christ-like as possible," Watson said. "I'll never be perfect, I'm always going to mess up, but my whole goal is to be the role model for my son."
He won't be a role model just for his son, however. In the 78-year history of the Masters Tournament, only 17 golfers have won the green jacket more than once. As he joins the elite club of two-time winners, "Bubba golf," which Watson said is when you're "just having fun" and being a kid "trying to hit shots that can't be hit," may become more of a trend.
After the Masters ceremony, Watson had his celebratory meal at the Waffle House.
"I'm not big on fancy," he said, saying the tie he was wearing was uncomfortable. "... The Waffle House, who doesn't love the Waffle House? It's good 'ole cookin', and I had two grilled cheeses and I had covered hash browns."