Bubba Watson keeps simple outlook after first round

Bubba Watson kept his outlook simple after a first round that included some missed opportunities but kept him in the hunt.

“If you take the two three-putts away, two shots better, I’d be in the 60s, so not too bad,” Watson said. “I didn’t play my way out of it, and I’m not too far behind, so I’m happy with it.”

The defending champion shot 1-under-par 71 to open the Masters Tournament on Thursday.

It is Watson’s third-lowest opening score in six Masters. He opened with 69 when he won in 2012 and 2014.

In those two wins, Watson paired stronger putting with his dominating tee-to-green play. He didn’t have the same putting success Thursday, missing two 7-foot par putts and two birdie putts within 12 feet.

“I told my caddie after a couple of holes, I said I was a little amped up,” Watson said. “I just needed to calm down, so I started walking slower.”

Watson did make a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 5 and lagged an 87-foot eagle putt to within 2 feet on No. 8 for birdie. He also chipped in from 31 feet for par on the 17th hole.

Watson, considered one of the best tee-to-green players in golf, hit 83 percent of greens and recorded an average driving distance of 293.5 yards.

He said that the course played a little slower because of spotty rain during the practice rounds but that it was still quick.

“Obviously, it’s soft just because of the rain. That’s just how nature is,” Watson said. “But it’s fast. The course is still moving. You still have to be careful out there.”

Watson is getting a second chance to defend his Masters title after tying for 50th in his 2013 defense. Only three golfers have successfully defended the title in Masters history, most recently in 2002 when Tiger Woods went back to back.

“In 2013, I just didn’t know how to calm down and settle down,” Watson said. “I still made the cut, but I didn’t finish as high as I wanted to.”