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Bubba Watson becomes the first big-name victim of Royal Troon's "Coffin Bunker"
TROON, Scotland -- Bubba Watson awed fans by hitting a drive to eight feet on a 377-yard par 4. But about an hour later, he needed six shots to play a hole less than one third the size.
After a red-hot start placed the two-time Masters atop the early leader board at the 145th Open Championship, he came crashing down at Royal Troon's famed "Postage Stamp" -- more specifically, the hole's "coffin bunker." Standing on the tee at five under through six holes, Watson pushed his tee shot on the 123-yard hole into the sand and wound up with this terrible lie.
Being a lefty, at least Watson had a stance. However, he knocked his second shot over the green, then fluffed his first pitch. After two putts, he walked away with a triple bogey.
Of course, disasters at this little hole are inevitable. It's called the Coffin Bunker for a reason and Rory McIlroy needed six shots to escape it during a practice round. Watson might have been the trap's first big-name victim of the tournament, but he won't be the last.