Bubba Watson won the Masters this year with his big-hitting manners but the American knows if he’s going to be handed the Claret Jug later this week it could mean not unleashing his booming drives.

Watson has been in England for a few days and has warmed-up for this week’s Open Championship playing practice rounds at Royal Birkdale and nearby Old St. Annes.

Bubba Watson meets the media at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Watson is making his only his fourth Open appearance after teeing-up for a first time in golf’s oldest Major at the 2009 Open where he missed the halfway cut.

However after his wonderful Masters success in April, the Florida-born Watson then missed the cut in the U.S. Open, and in the company of Tiger Woods, with scores  of 78 and 71 but he did come away having learnt a lot about his game in Olympic’s trying test.

Watson got his first look at Royal Lytham and St. Annes this morning playing a full 18 holes.

“I’ve got to hit every fairway, and with the driver sometimes I get a little wild, as we know,” said Watson.

“The high rough, this is high rough, it is not like our rough in the U.S.  This is hay that is 15 yards off the fairway, 10 yards off on some of the holes, and you might not find your ball.  You have to play smart.

“This golf course and the U.S. Open, they make you play to a strategy and have to play a certain way, so you have to do that.  I mean, yes, there could be a day out of four days that I can just beat driver everywhere and play great golf, but four days in a row to get that lucky, to not have bad lie or find all my balls, I mean that would be tough to do.”

And Watson, who became the four different left-handed to win a Major, knows also it was New Zealander, Bob Charles who became the first lefty ever to win at the game’s highest lever when he claimed the 1963 Open Championship here at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.