PINEHURST, N.C. -- Bubba Watson has one thing going for him: So far, nobody else has a better chance at winning a second major this year. "Ive already got one," he quipped Tuesday. The two-time Masters champion came to Pinehurst this week for the U.S. Open hoping to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2002 to win the years first two majors. "Any time you have that chance, its been a good year, because that means youve done well early," Watson said. The worlds third-ranked player is trying to join that short list of players to win both the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year. Its only happened six times and before Woods, nobody had done it since Jack Nicklaus in 1972. Watson is certainly hoping this attempt goes better than the last one. Two years ago at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, he missed the cut after shooting an 8-over-par 78 in his opening round. Through the years, the U.S. Open has provided a particularly vexing test for Watson, who has missed the cut in three of his seven Opens. His only top-10 finish came in 2007 when he tied for fifth at Oakmont -- perhaps the toughest of the courses that have staged golfs national championship. "A U.S. Open brings out challenges that were not used to, challenges that we can only take once a year or we would all find new jobs if we had to do it every week," Watson said. And a different set of them awaits this week at the revamped Pinehurst No. 2 course that looks nothing like it did when Payne Stewart (1999) and Michael Campbell (2005) won Opens here. Watson it called "a second-shot golf course" and said it bears no resemblance to the Augusta National course hes twice conquered "except its 18 holes, thats about it." The multi-million-dollar restoration to Donald Ross original design, removed the rough and left only two cuts of grass -- fairway and green. Birdies figure to once again be rare at the U.S. Open, where bogeys arent necessarily bad and the winner is often the one who takes the smartest shots and makes the fewest mistakes. Hell find out over the next few days if his daring "Bubba golf" style will work on a course that has only two par-5s. Watson leads all PGA Tour players with an average driving distance of 314 yards -- a distinct advantage at the various courses on the tour. But maybe not at Pinehurst No. 2, where sandy hardpan, wiregrass and weeds make up what used to be the rough. "Its all about the tee shots. Im going to try to lay farther back than normal, because its still iffy hitting in that -- I dont know what they call it, rough, dirt, sand. ... But its going to be iffy. You dont know what kind of lies youre going to get." Get through that and out of the fairways, and those notoriously tricky turtleback greens -- which a smiling Watson repeatedly called "unfriendly" -- await. The "U.S. Open is challenging you at all levels. If you want to be a man and hit driver off that tee, you can," he said. "If you want to lay back and try to play smarter, you can. ... You have the ability to do it, now can you do it at that moment, is what the key is. "So I think the U.S. Open is doing that, its just thats what theyre trying to create," he added. "Theyre trying to create a challenge for everybody, and you can play it aggressively or you can play it smartly." Fake Air Max 90 China . -- Billy Donovans bench came up big, bailing out top-seeded Florida in a tight game against what was supposed to be an overmatched opponent. Fake Yeezys For Sale . The result means Atletico Madrid now tops the table, with Madrid level on points in second and Barcelona a point behind in third with nine games remaining as the title race shapes up to be the closest in years. http://www.outletsneakersclearance.com/. "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. Cyber Monday Vans Shoes . "Yes, Id like to get them in," Detroits rookie manager said. "Mother Natures going to have a say in that." Sure enough, the Tigers had their game against the Kansas City Royals postponed because of rain on Thursday. Air Max 95 Outlet Clearance . He reps the 4-1-6The insecurity of Canadian basketball fans is not what it once was with the home grown talent making its way to the big leagues, but it is still nice to see the local kids remembering where they come from once they make their way south. MILWAUKEE -- One slugger back, one slugger down for the Milwaukee Brewers. Outfielder Ryan Braun has been activated from the 15-day disabled list after being sidelined with a right oblique strain. He started Tuesday nights game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez was placed on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring. He got hurt fielding a bouncer in Saturday nights 5-4 win over the Yankees. The battered Brewers lost another key player when outfielder Carlos Gomez left the Pirates game after the bottom of the fifth with lower back tightness. He was considered day-to-day. Braun was hitting .318 with six homers and 18 RBIs when he got hurt. Seeing Ramirez go down didnt add any extra urgency, Braun said. The Brewers had discussed possibly sending Braun to the minors for a rehab game Monday but weather and travel issues curtailed that plan. Instead, the slugger was back his customary No. 3 position in the batting order Tuesday. "I think hes going to be good. Hes a guy that when he sat in the past hes been pretty good rright off, so Im hoping thats what happens," manager Ron Roenicke said.dddddddddddd Neither Roenicke nor Ramirez knew how long it might take for the veteran third baseman to get over his pulled hamstring, the first such injury of Ramirezs 16-year career. Milwaukee on Tuesday also optioned outfielder Caleb Gindl back to Triple-A Nashville and recalled utility man Elian Herrera, who was batting .359 in the minors. Herreras versatility should help if Gomez has to begin a suspension this week for his role in a benches-clearing scrum against the Pirates in April. Milwaukee expected to hear soon from the National League about Gomezs appeal. It has been a tough few days for Gomez. Milwaukees leadoff hitter was hit in the left forearm by a pitch Sunday against the Yankees; he was hit on the arm again Tuesday on a changeup by Pirates starter Gerrit Cole. For the Pirates, Starling Marte was out of the starting lineup again with a sore back, though manager Clint Hurdle said it was possible the outfielder might be available off the bench. ' ' '