The Loop

Bubba Watson prepared for the PGA Championship by opening a candy store

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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — It’s the question du jour for players, Bubba Watson among them, at Baltusrol Golf Club who less than two weeks earlier were competing at Royal Troon: How did you spend your time during the short turnaround from the British Open leading up to the PGA Championship? No response, however, has been more interesting than the one from Watson, who did one of the more Bubba like things he could do.

He opened a candy store.

Bubba’s Sweet Spot in Pensacola, Fla., is a collaboration between the two-time Masters champ and business developers Quint and Rishy Studer. The trio had been talking for more than a year about the idea of opening a store near Watson’s hometown that would sell candy, fudge, ice cream and other assorted treats.

The discussions became more serious early in the year as everybody crunched the numbers to figure out how to make the place financially viable. The store had a soft launch in early July with the official grand opening coming last Friday, which Bubba proudly in attendance.

Considering his name is on it, it’s probably no surprise that Bubba appears to have been fairly involved with the place. He helped get the logo chosen by putting together YouTube videos that got the public to vote in an online poll.

The only problem with being the owner of a candy store: Eating into your profits. “Who doesn’t like candy and fudge and ice cream? I’m spending the most money in there,” he joked.

As for golf, Watson says he didn’t touch a club from the time he returned from Scotland (with a day of media obligations in New York in between) to the time he arrived at Baltusrol on Sunday, in part to recharge for the PGA Championship and the busy two weeks he’ll have afterward, playing in the Travelers Championship (an event he’s won twice) and then in the Olympics.

“I didn’t impress anybody at Troon, so hopefully here I can impress some people.”

You’re the owner of a candy store, Bubba. Believe me, you already have.