Bubba Files: $50,000 Check (On The Spot) For Japan

You know what I love about this: he wasn't looking for press, we don't have to endure a fog-filtered photo opp. Just pure charitable giving by someone who is having a good year. Stephanie Wei first reported it and Doug Ferguson follows up on Bubba Watson's generosity.

A lighthearted conversation with Ryuji Imada, a former teammate at Georgia, pushed him in that direction.

Imada, who was born in Japan, pledged to donate $1,000 toward relief efforts for every birdie he made during the Transitions Championship last week at Innisbrook.

"That made me interested," Watson said Tuesday. "But I said to Ryuji, 'What if you don't make any birdies?' I told him if he went two days without making birdies, I'd give $10,000 in his honor. We were joking. But he said he thought about that, but he was going to give money no matter what he did."

The next day, Imada opened with a 74 without making a single birdie.

Watson then told Imada that because he's been a longtime friend, he would give $50,000 to the American Red Cross. Imada made two birdies on Friday, but by then, the seed had taken root. Watson finished his final round Sunday, found a PGA Tour official and handed him a check for $50,000 for the Japan relief efforts.

Meanwhile on the LPGA Tour Ai Miyazato, Momoku Ueda and Mika Miyazato are channeling their energy toward disaster relief through a fundraising website and a supportive logo to wear in upcoming tournaments.

"I've never had this situation before, so it could be difficult to have good concentration during the tournament," said Ai Miyazato, the former world No. 1. "But all I can do is just stay in the present and do something like playing really good ... and hopefully get back good news to Japan.

Their press conference can be read and viewed here.