Mitchell Earns Web.com Tour Status

Congratulations to Adam Mitchell, who came in 21st in the Web.com Tour Q-School Sunday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. By virtue of the top-45 finish, Mitchell earned fully exempt status on the Web.com Tour for 2016. Mitchell wound up at 4-under 282, paced by a first-round 68.

Mitchell quit competitive golf earlier this year to take a full-time job with his uncle’s company, Mitchell Metals. A few months after entering the office life, though, Mitchell’s competitive spark returned and he advanced through first and second stages with confidence.

"It’s just amazing,” Mitchell said told PGATour.com. “That golf ball, it doesn’t know who’s hitting it … it didn’t know that I was working and stopped playing. That’s just the way it is. If you keep battling and battling and believing in yourself, it shows you what you can do. I just got a fresh start and a fresh outlook and a fresh perspective. I know what the other side’s like, and it’s motivation not to do it. Because I know I have a gift. I know I’m a great golfer. It’s going to be a fun couple of months. A fun rest of my career.”

Also competing in the Web.com Tour Q-School were Keith Mitchell (108th, 6-over), Matt McQuillan (123rd, 8-over), and T.J. Mitchell (147th, 18-over). Scott Parel withdrew after three rounds.

• Harris English and Matt Kuchar came in second in the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples, Fla. They combined to finish at 28-under, just two behind Jason Dufner and Brandt Snedeker.

Watson Wins Hero World Challenge

Bubba Watson poses with his trophy Sunday.

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — A few years after Bubba Watson made it onto the PGA Tour, he started waking up early to play practice rounds with Tiger Woods. He didn't ask a lot of questions of the world's No. 1 player who already had 14 majors when he was 32.

"I learn by watching and listening," Watson said. "So I just watched. How would you not want to learn from the best player of our generation?"

Woods, the tournament host, was watching Sunday as Watson delivered a performance that looked familiar in its efficiency.

Staked to a two-shot lead going into the final round, Watson made four birdies in seven holes and was never seriously challenged. He sailed home to a 6-under 66 and a three-shot victory over Patrick Reed at Albany Golf Club in the Hero World Challenge.

Watson wasn't even planning to play this week. He turned down his invitation a few months ago because he didn't have a passport for his newly adopted daughter, Dakota. But when PGA champion Jason Day backed out to stay home with his newborn daughter, Watson's wife was able to expedite all the right documents for the family to come over to the Bahamas.

He left with a $1 million payoff and a firm grasp on No. 4 in the world the rest of the year.

"I guess I've got to thank Jason Day for backing out. I have to thank the U.S. government and passport office for getting Dakota a passport so we could be here," Watson said. "For us, it's a good ride, a fun ride."

Even if it didn't feel easy to him, it sure looked that way.

Watson didn't make a bogey all weekend until the final hole, when he jokingly asked NBC field reporter Notah Begay how many shots he needed to win. He played it safe and made bogey, and all that cost him was the tournament record.Watson finished at 25-under 263, one shot from Jordan Spieth's record last year at Isleworth.

Watson's year is not finished. He was headed to New York on Sunday night to catch a flight to Asia for the Thailand Open.

The two-time Masters champion already had a two-week trip away from his family, and he didn't want to do that again. So when there was uncertainty about getting his daughter a passport for the Bahamas, he decided he would stay home this week and asked the tournament to let him know if anyone pulled out.

Day withdrew, Watson's wife spent eight hours in an Arizona office trying to get all the paperwork and they were on their way.

Watson seized control with seven birdies and an eagle on Saturday in ideal weather for a two-shot lead over Paul Casey, and he started fast with birdies on the second and third holes to keep his distance. No one got closer than two shots all day, and as Fowler made a move with a 30 on the front nine, Watson answered with two straight birdies to start the back nine, and then it was a matter of finishing.

For Watson, the next step is to be a more consistent winner. This was the ninth victory worldwide in his career, and the second straight year he has won multiple times.

"I want my name to be close to that leaderboard every tournament, every year, so people are always talking about Bubba Watson, about how consistent he is and good he is," Watson said. "That's my whole focus right now, every year getting better and better."

Chandler, Phillips, Ralston Sign With Bulldogs

The Georgia men's golf team recently received national letters of intent from three talented prospects, according to announcement by Bulldogs head coach Chris Haack.

The Bulldogs signed Georgians Will Chandler of Atlanta and Spencer Ralston of Gainesville as well as Trevor Phillips of Inman, S.C. They will join the squad for the 2016-17 season.

Chandler, who attends The Marist School, earned state medalist honors as a freshman and has helped the War Eagles win three consecutive state championships. He was chosen as the 2014 Georgia State Golf Association Junior Player of the Year after winning the AJGA Davis Love III Open, placing second in the Georgia Amateur Championship and coming in ninth in the Georgia Junior Championship.

A senior at Gainesville High School, Ralston holds the Red Elephants' school and state scoring records. Ralston has helped Gainesville win three region titles, three Hall County titles and 24 tournaments overall. He won the SJGT Orchard Hills Junior Classic in 2014 and 2015 and the Joe Cheves Junior Invitational and the U.S. Open local qualifier in 2015. Ralston is a three-time Hall County champion and he is a three-time U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier.

Phillips has led Boiling Springs High School to back-to-back state championships and he has earned All-State, All-Region and All-County honors for the Bulldogs. He also helped Easley High School claim a state championship. Phillips has posted three top-7 efforts in 2015, including a runner-up effort in the AJGA Wells Fargo Junior Classic and a third-place finish in the Scott Robertson Memorial, and he won the 2012 SCJGA Jimmy Self Junior.

"We are so excited to have these three guys join our program," Haack said. "We've been watching them play and improve for the past several years and we know we've signed three talented players. We expect Will, Spencer and Trevor to come in and compete right away for playing time. They are excellent prospects."