Bubba Watson is one of the most interesting characters on Tour. From his unique swing to his volatile state of mind, you never know what Bubba is going to do next.
Case in point, Associated Press caught up with Watson earlier this month and his life after golf was the topic of conversation. Watson said ambitions beyond the course may lead him to a second career in public office.
He wants to run for mayor.
“I’ve had a dream,” Watson said. “I moved back in the city limits of Pensacola (Florida) so one day I can run for mayor.”
The two-time Masters champion already is building quite the local enterprise at home. Last year he became a part-owner of the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, a Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. This year, he opened a candy shop in Pensacola called “Bubba’s Sweet Spot,” serving up premium candy and ice cream.
“What American doesn’t like chocolate? So for me, it was something fun,” Watson said. “That really is a kid in a candy store, like everyone talks about. We built it from scratch. That wasn’t buying a shop.”
#Masters champ, entrepreneur…mayor?
Apparently @bubbawatson has serious aspirations of running for office: https://t.co/3FrM4dlBbd pic.twitter.com/5WCUlWz1qL
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) November 22, 2016
And he didn’t stop there. His latest venture is a car dealership, Sandy and Bubba’s Milton Chevrolet (he thinks the new electric car is going to be big), along with a robotics company in Pensacola that makes everything from military equipment to toys.
He has invested in a few golf courses, and he is involved in an apartment complex being built in Pensacola.
“It’s funny, I say to my friends, I say to my wife, to my manager, to my team that if you say ‘Bubba Watson the golfer,’ then you’re limiting who I am, who I want to be and who I think I am,” Watson said at the HSBC Champions. “These other businesses are fun. Golf is fun. The golf is great. But there are other things I want to do. I have other dreams. Golf made it possible. Luckily for me, haven’t had bank loans. I’m able to pay cash for these things.”
Even at 38, Bubba’s life after golf could be upon us faster than you would think. On multiple occasions, Watson has hinted at milestones that would cause him to hang up his spikes: winning 10 times on Tour and reaching No. 1 in the world, just to name a few.
Who knows, in 10 years we could be seeing Bubba Watson walking around Augusta National hyping up Pensacola tourism.
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