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Laureus golf legend Gary Player impressed by 'Raw Power' of Bubba Watson in Masters

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LAUREUS GOLF LEGEND GARY PLAYER IMPRESSED BY ‘RAW POWER’ OF BUBBA WATSON IN MASTERS
 
  •  ‘He showed his skill and nerve when the pressure was on, that is  the true hallmark of a champion’ – says Gary Player
  •  Bubba Watson now strong contender for Laureus Award, says Player
  •  Read Gary Player’s full Masters Blog on www.laureus.com
  • Follow Laureus on Twitter @LaureusSport
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, April 9, 2012 - Laureus World Sports Academy Member and golf legend Gary Player has congratulated American Bubba Watson on his Masters victory at Augusta, in an article he has written for the Laureus website.
South African Player, one of only five men to win golf’s Grand Slam of the four Major Championships and a three-times Masters winner, says: “Though I believe we have gone too far with new technology and the distances the tournament pro’s are hitting the ball today, you had to be impressed by the raw athletic power of Bubba Watson.
“The highlights were the run of four birdies in a row from the 13th which moved him to the top of the leaderboard and his second shot from the trees on the second play-off hole, where he had to move the ball about 30 yards in the air. That showed you something about his skill and his nerve when the pressure was on. That is the true hallmark of a champion,” he added.
Player also says Phil Mickelson’s triple bogey six at the 4th hole turned the championship on its head. “Phil was many people’s favourite and while he didn’t win a fourth green jacket I was very impressed with the way he accepted his fate, kept a positive attitude and fought his way back up the leaderboard,” added Player.
This year at the Laureus World Sports Awards there were two winners from golf - Darren Clarke, last year’s British Open Championship winner, and Rory McIlory, after his US Open win. Now Player says: “Bubba has made himself a contender now for the next Awards, so we will be watching his progress for the rest of the year with interest.”
Material on the Laureus website is available for print media use free of charge provided full credit is given, for example….’Gary Player writing on www.laureus.com
For further information, please contact:
Gerald Meier,
Head of Global Communications
Tel: +44 (0)20 7514 2749
Photo Archive: www.laureusarchive.com
Video Archive: www.laureusdigital.com
Websites: www.laureus.com
 
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Patron of Laureus is Nelson Mandela.  At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, President Mandela said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.” This has become the philosophy of Laureus; the driving force behind its work.
Laureus is a universal movement that celebrates the power of sport to bring people together as a force for good.  Laureus is composed of three core elements - the Laureus World Sports Academy, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Laureus World Sports Awards - which collectively celebrate sporting excellence and use sport as the means to promote social change
The members of the Laureus World Sports Academy are: Giacomo Agostini, Marcus Allen, Franz Beckenbauer, Boris Becker, Ian Botham, Sergey Bubka, Bobby Charlton, Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci, Yaping Deng, Marcel Desailly, Kapil Dev, Mick Doohan, David Douillet, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mika Häkkinen, Tony Hawk, Mike Horn, Miguel Indurain, Michael Johnson, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, Dan Marino, Edwin Moses (Chairman), Nawal El Moutawakel, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, Alexey Nemov, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Morné du Plessis, Hugo Porta, Steve Redgrave, Vivian Richards, Monica Seles, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson, Alberto Tomba, Steve Waugh and Katarina Witt.
The Laureus Academy members volunteer their services as global ambassadors for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which was set up to promote the use of sport as a tool for social change. The Foundation addresses social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €40 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of more than one-and-a-half million young people. The Foundation addresses issues in particular involving, but not limited to, young people impacted by social exclusion, gun and gang violence, discrimination, community integration, peace and reconciliation, and education. The Academy is supported in its work by the members of the Laureus Ambassadors programme, a select group of current and retired sportsmen and sportswomen who have achieved sporting greatness, plus non-sporting personalities who have made significant contributions to the sporting community during their careers. 
The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year.  The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 46 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the great athletes of today.  The Awards are presented at an annual Awards Ceremony, attended by global figures from sport and entertainment, which is broadcast to 120 countries and territories.  
Proceeds from the Laureus World Sports Awards directly benefit and underpin the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation which supports 91 community sports projects around the world.  The 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards were held in London on February 6.
Laureus was founded by its Patrons Richemont and Daimler and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and Vodafone.
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz, the world’s oldest automaker, can look back on a unique tradition. It is the most valuable automotive premium brand which stands for quality, safety, comfort, design and sustainable mobility. Mercedes-Benz enjoys an excellent reputation, particularly in the field of safety. Many pioneering technical innovations that are standard automotive features today were first seen in a Mercedes-Benz car. The Mercedes-Benz engineers will in the future consistently reinvent the automobile – with the same enthusiasm and innovation as Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz in 1886. Moreover, Mercedes-Benz has been actively supporting professional and amateur sport for decades and has become established as a dependable partner in the fields of motor sport, football, golf, horse riding and tennis.  Mercedes-Benz is a Global Partner of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. Since the beginning of the Foundation's operations in 2000, Mercedes-Benz has shared and supported the goals and values of this worldwide charity programme where sports play the core role in the fight against social issues - Laureus has become a vital element of the corporate social responsibility programme of Mercedes-Benz.
IWC Schaffhausen
With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing watches of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of Haute Horlogerie at its finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design.
Vodafone
Vodafone is one of the world's largest mobile communications companies by revenue with approximately 391 million customers in its controlled and jointly controlled markets as at 30 September 2011. Vodafone currently has equity interests in over 30 countries across five continents and more than 40 partner networks worldwide.  For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com

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