Among the first to congratulate new Masters champion on the green at the second extra hole Augusta National play-off was Australia’s Aaron Baddeley.

Baddeley joined the likes of fellow PGA Tour players Bill Haas and Rickie Fowler to embrace Watson in the wake of his very emotional success among the ‘Cathedral of the Pines’.

The Australian remained at the course after a final round 74 gave him a share of 40th place with pre-Augusta favourites Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

It was just the fourth time in seven Masters showing the now 31-year old Baddeley had played all four rounds of the season’s traditional first Major.

Baddeley, who gained a ‘Special Invitation’ in making his Augusts debut in 2000, was headed to into the rest of the year and the three remaining Major Championships of 2012 ‘energised’ in witnessing Watson win.

“I feel energised and a bit inspired and it makes you want to keep working harder to achieve things like that,” said Baddeley.

“Bubba is my best mate out here on Tour and to see him win and how much it meant to him, it was just awesome.”

Baddeley was speaking just ahead of taking the some four hour drive south-east to Hilton Head for the RBC Heritage Classic, and the scene in 2006 of Baddeley’s break through success on the Tour.

“I feel like I play well here every year so I have a lot of great memories of Hilton Head and the Harbour Town course,” said Baddeley.

“I have a lot of good thoughts about how to play the course and especially as it was my first win it brings a lot of good memories back.

“I feel like I’m always there or thereabouts with a chance on the weekend and I am hoping I can get back in that position again.”

And with he and Watson both heavily involved ‘spiritually’ off the golf course, Baddeley said he’s long been impressed with how the American can shape the golf ball. And that was no more obvious at the second extra play-off hole where Watson, who had found the trees with his drive, managed to hook his ball some 155-yards from off pine needles and through a gap in the trees and remarkably onto the green.

“Bubba likes to shape the ball and he moves it a long way. His ability to hit a driver with 50 yards of fade and still hit it 330, well there aren’t many people who can do it,” said Baddeley.

“But not everybody can hit both a fade and draw with control either and I feel like I can play it both ways and I enjoy having to be able to hit it high and low as well.

“I enjoy the fun of the different shots you have to hit around this golf course.”

But while impressed with Watson’s artillery, Baddeley needs to also improve his Augusta arsenal.

He’s now played 22 rounds in the Masters and has broken par just twice and that was in the first and last rounds in 2009, and in securing his best Augusta finish of T-17th.

At one stage in this year’s Masters, Baddeley got himself as high as fifth after five holes on day three but an eventual 77 put paid to that. He ended the championship with a final round 74 for a five over par tally.