The Monday Recap: It's Bubba Time

Bubba Watson at the 2011 Masters. Photo courtesy of McClatchy-Tribune News Service.

Bubba Watson's playoff victory in New Orleans was his second this season.

The long-hitting left-hander is quite the treat to watch in person.

Yours truly witnessed his power at the 2010 Transitions Championship, the PGA Tour stop at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor.

With such a funky delivery - not as awkward looking as Jim Furyk's swing - it's hard to imagine how Watson can crank balls so far.

Well, he simply creates so much width in his swing, generating tons of turn and goes past parallel when most amateurs have a hard time just getting to parallel on their backswing.

The issue with any long hitter is whether or not they can find the accuracy, and Watson has found unique spots on many golf courses before.

Take Sunday's final round when he blasted a tee shot well right down the stretch. He still managed to escape the danger to give himself a chance at an up-and-down.

Watson converted the par on No. 12 and eventually held off Webb Simpson for a playoff victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana.

Watson wouldn't have been in the sudden-death playoff if not for a costly penalty to Simpson, which the USGA is contemplating to modify for the 2012 season.

Bubba's triumph lifts him to the top of the FedEx Cup standings.

Jessica Korda at the 2010 U.S. Women's Amateur, where she finished second. Photo courtesy of McClatchy-Tribune News Service.

Meanwhile, Jessica Korda was the lone Manatee County-based player to finish under par at the Avnet LPGA Classic in Mobile, Ala.

Korda rebounded with a 70 on Sunday to net a tie for 19th and $14,715 - her highest payday thus far on the LPGA Tour.

Korda ended up tied with fellow teenage phenom Lexi Thompson after the latter ballooned to a final round 78 after sharing the lead through three rounds.

The Bradenton-born Korda finished nine shots behind Marie Hjorth's winning total.
Paula Creamer and Taylor Leon, two players who have trained at IMG Academies, finished at 6-over and 7-over par, respectively.