Rory McIlroy & Co make bold statements as they defect from LIV Golf to PGA Due to a Heartbreaking Reason

The 2010 Ryder Cup was a bittersweet experience for Bubba Watson. Competing at Celtic Manor in Wales, Watson and the American team faced tough odds as Europe held a strong lead going into the final day. Despite a valiant effort, the U.S. team couldn’t close the gap, leaving Watson with only a single point after losses in both fourballs and singles matches.

His on-course performances may not have reached his hopes, yet the event held profound significance beyond the scores. Watson’s father, Gerry, who was terminally ill and watching from afar, was witnessing his son’s Ryder Cup debut, making it a poignant family milestone.

Gerry’s unwavering support added deep emotional weight to Watson’s experience. Although his father passed just days after the event, he managed to see his son play for the U.S. on one of golf’s biggest stages. Watson has since cherished mementos from that Ryder Cup, displaying them proudly in his Pensacola home.

For Watson, the Ryder Cup became more than a professional contest—it was a final shared moment with his father, a lasting memory that blended victory, loss, and familial pride. Reflecting on that year, Watson acknowledges it as both the best and the hardest of his life, underscoring how golf can forge bonds that outlast even the toughest losses.