Sunday 25 March 2018 23:48, UK
Bubba Watson claimed his second World Golf Championship title with an emphatic victory over Kevin Kisner in the final of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Kisner got off to the worst possible start having had little time to recover from his tense semi-final win over Alex Noren at the first extra hole, and Watson took full advantage as he raced six up after seven holes and never looked likely to relinquish his lead.
Watson's fifth birdie of a one-sided final at the 12th wrapped up a comprehensive 7&6 triumph, earning his second title of the year having ended a two-year winless run at the Genesis Open last month.
The left-hander, who ended Justin Thomas' hopes of becoming world No 1 in the morning semi-finals, holed from 12 feet for a winning birdie at the first, and pars were enough to win the next four holes as Kisner struggled to get the ball in play from the tee.
Kisner carded four consecutive bogeys and looked likely to lose the sixth hole as well, but he did well to scramble a par from 12 feet before Watson's putter misfired as he wasted a birdie chance from inside four feet.
However, Kisner's wayward long game gifted Watson another win at the seventh, although he did manage to halve the next two holes in par to remain six down at the turn.
Watson then birdied the 10th to go seven up with eight to play before Kisner lifted his flagging spirits with a superb 35-foot putt for his first birdie of the final to win the 11th.
But that was Kisner's only highlight and Watson put him out of his misery on the next green, holing from seven feet for birdie and the match while doubling his WGC collection following his HSBC Champions win in 2014.
"It's nice, it's very nice," said the two-time Masters champion. "Obviously Kevin Kisner is a great player, he's played great all week, but you could just tell the energy was gone with the tough match this morning.
"Getting off to a quick start just drained his energy even more. And then I made some putts coming down the stretch and that kept me going, and kept me up front.
"But it's great for me and my family. Put another trophy on the mantle. What a dream come true. As you know, as a golfer, it's a dream come true to win a tournament."
The consolation match was also a one-sided affair, with Noren finishing the week on a high note with a comfortable 5&3 win over Thomas.
