Bubba's title defense ends with an adventurous 73

By Mark Lamport-Stokes AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) - Bubba Watson's title defense at the Masters effectively ended with a roller-coaster third round on Saturday that began with a damaging triple-bogey on the opening hole. Watson, who had been seeking to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only players to win consecutive green jackets, went on to card seven birdies and five bogeys in an adventurous one-over-par 73 that left him well off the pace. The American left-hander headed into the second round a distant 12 strokes behind runaway leader Jordan Spieth, and fell further back as he struggled on the tricky, sloping greens at Augusta National. "But I got two of them (green jackets), so I'll be able to sleep OK tonight." Watson, who had also been aiming to join the likes of Sam Snead, Gary Player and Phil Mickelson as the sixth three-times Masters winner, butchered the par-four first after hitting his tee shot into the right fairway bunker.

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