RIO DE JANEIRO -- Bubba Watson so often is his own worst enemy. He fidgets and frets, to his own detriment. For a man so gifted at swinging a golf club, it can be maddeningly frustrating.This week, Bubba is own best friend.He has embraced the Olympic golf experience unlike just about anyone else in the mens field. Instead of bemoaning how it would impact his schedule in a crowded golf year, he never wavered on his desire to be in Rio.And he has taken advantage of being at the Olympic Games in a way that is refreshing, trying to attend as many sporting events as possible, meeting other athletes, posing for photos, posting frequently on social media.Even when Watson played relatively poorly in an opening-round 73 at the Olympic Golf Course, he remained upbeat.And now, after a third-round 67 that has him in a tie for fourth and just 3 shots out of a place on the podium, he has a chance to earn an Olympic medal.Its absolutely amazing, Watson said. What a privilege and honor that golf is in the Olympics and to be a part of this. Right or wrong, its hard for me to focus on golf because of the fact that its just a dream of a lifetime to be associated with these great athletes.Perhaps Bubba is onto something. He has played steadily better each day, overcame a bizarre stubbed putt on the 14th green, signed his card and couldnt wait to get back and watch ... badminton.Playing for gold on Sunday will enter his mind that morning.Itll take another strong effort, but the way Watson has improved each day while reveling in the experience has been something to behold.For instance:We went to fencing first, Watson said in explaining how he has taken in the various Olympic events. It was Russia against Estonia womens for (the) bronze medal. We didnt know. We just had tickets and we went and thats what was happening. And fencing was unbelievable.I always talked about learning how to fence, and so going to it was special. It was amazing watching these girls Im going to say girls, Im going to say Im older than them. These girls, the athleticism to move around it, was just amazing. And they were screaming and hollering and I guess I would, too, if I won a bronze. It was amazing.That is just one example. Watson is like a kid in his Pensacola, Fla., candy store (Bubbas Sweet Spot), taking in the sights and sounds, watching the other athletes, getting to know who they are and appreciating what they have accomplished and what it means for them to be here.He has been inquisitive, gotten involved, figuring maybe something will rub off.Just like any athlete, you ask questions and you learn from them, he said. At dinner, we are asking how they train and what they do and how they prepare and what strategies they take in their event.Thats what Im taking in this week is just how amazing this is to be able to see sports that weve never seen, and golf just gets to tag along and say were athletes now.Maybe that has rubbed off on his golf. Maybe Watson got a reality check by coming to Rio and realizing that hes got it pretty good, playing for millions of dollars every week, getting to travel on private jets, staying in five-star hotels.That is not the reality for most Olympic athletes, certainly not the ones who toil in obscurity and aspire for greatness in sports that get little attention or publicity.Watson has been known to think too much, complain too much. He gets frustrated when a golf course doesnt fit his eye, and lets it affect his play. At times, he mopes. Here, it seems, nothing can bother him.A couple of back-nine bogeys put a damper on what was shaping up to be a great third round Saturday. One included a strange incident where mud dropped off the bottom of his putter in mid-stroke, distracting him. He tried to stop, and ended up hitting the ball only 6 feet -- when he was 35 feet from the hole. It was one of those freak things, he said. Thatll be talked about for years.But Bubba persevered.Even with all the stuff going on this week, even if youre sitting in your room watching the other events on TV, youre so focused on what an unbelievable experience this, youre not going to focus on golf that much off the course, Watson said. When you come back tomorrow, youll start thinking about it. But when youre at your house or around eating in the cafeteria, theres definitely no thoughts going through my head.That strategy might not play at Augusta National or St. Andrews or even in a few weeks at The Barclays or the Tour Championship. And it certainly wont be a good idea at the Ryder Cup, where time constraints all but negate any ability to relax and enjoy.Watson acknowledged that at a tournament like the Masters, he grinds. The golf course is so difficult, it requires that kind of concentration. And yet, there is something to consider going forward.This is a dream of a lifetime, golf just gets in my way, he said. Im taking it all in and learning. It shows how lucky and blessed golfers are. Its my profession and income and its beyond belief. We should never be disgruntled about anything that happens in our life.Who would have thought Bubba Watson would become such a great ambassador for golf in the Olympics? Paul Hornung Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Malcolm Johnson Jersey . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. http://www.wholesalepackersjerseys.com/?tag=youth-fadol-brown-jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Manny Wilkins Jersey . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. Cole Madison Jersey .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. SAN FRANCISCO -- Jay Bruce insists he isnt sitting around and savoring his home run streak.Theres no time for that, he said. You do that in this game and its too late.Bruce homered in his career-high fifth straight game, connecting off Madison Bumgarner and leading Dan Straily and the Cincinnati Reds over the slumping San Francisco Giants 2-1 on Wednesday.Bruce hit his 25th homer of the season. His sixth home run during his five-game streak broke a 1-all tie in the seventh inning.One day hopefully a long, long time from now, I can sit back and reflect, but right now theres no time for that, everythings moving too fast, Bruce said. Its too demanding a game to kick back and think back about all youve done.The NL West-leading Giants got just four hits and lost for the ninth time in 11 games since the All-Star break. The last-place Reds are 8-4 over that stretch.Straily (6-6) gave up three hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out five in his longest outing of the season.Hes got great deception, Reds manager Bryan Price said.We all look up at the radar gun readings and hes 88 (mph) to 91, but he has a lot of swings and misses on that fastball. He had a lot of check swings, a lot of swings off the plate, and that to me thats what deception is all about, he said. Its about how early do hitters see the ball and recognize the spin and speed of the ball.Straily improved to 2-0 in his career against Bumgarner.Definitely, you take pride in battling against the best in baseball, Straily said. Its no different than any other game, but when it happens on a day like today it makes it a little more special.Tony Cingrani pitched a scoreless ninth for his 12th save.Bumgarner (10-6) allowed one earned run and five hits in eight innings, striking out nine.The Giants have lost six of his last eight starts. He hasnt had much run ssupport of late, with the Giants scoring 10 runs in his last five games.ddddddddddddIts disappointing when you have Bum throw the ball the way he did today, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. He gave up five hits and couldnt get a win. We just couldnt figure out Straily. We couldnt generate much offensively and its disappointing when you have your starter throw like that.Conor Gillaspie hit a solo homer for the Giants in the second.San Francisco left fielder Angel Pagan dropped a flyball in the fifth, setting up Tucker Barnharts tying sacrifice fly.Joey Votto had two of the Reds six hits.Brandon Belt was 0 for 2 with a walk, snapping his 11-game hitting streak against the Reds. He went into the game as a career .398 hitter vs. Cincinnati, including a .522 mark since the beginning of last season.The Reds hit eight homers in winning the three-game series. Cincinnati has won four straight sets.When you look at the whole body of work, were driving in runs, pitchers are throwing strikes, the bullpen has been much more reliable and were playing better defense, Price said. That mix of things gives you the opportunity to stay in more games and win them.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: INF Ramiro Pena, who left Tuesday nights game early with a groin injury after taking a bad hop, was a late scratch from Wednesdays lineup.UP NEXTReds: Off Thursday, then LHP Brandon Finnegan (5-8, 4.93 ERA) starts at San Diego. He has an 11.05 ERA over his last four outings.Giants: RHP Johnny Cueto (13-2, 2.53) will pitch Thursday in the opener of a four-game series against NL East-leading Washington. He is 7-3 with a 3.55 ERA in 11 career starts against the Nationals with a 16-inning scoreless streak dating to 2014. ' ' '