Bubba Watson ends nine-year absence at Pebble Beach, thanks to Mark Wahlberg

Actor Mark Wahlberg has an unusual approach to golf. He’s never taken a lesson, and he hits his driver and irons left-handed while wielding his putter right-handed.

But the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is very glad he’s here, not just for his own celebrity status but also because he lured top pro Bubba Watson back to the tournament after a nine-year absence.

“Bubba and I are buddies, and it was good to get out there with him,” Wahlberg said. “It was the first day he was actually supportive and not trying to take my money. Usually, he’s trying everything he can to heckle me.”

Wahlberg and Watson met in 2010 at the U.S. Open Challenge at Pebble Beach, when pro golfers caddied for celebrities and stars from other sports. Watson was actually caddying for quarterback Drew Brees while Rickie Fowler caddied for Wahlberg. They nonetheless hooked up.

“We connected as lefties,” he said. “There aren’t too many of us out here and we just became buddies.”

Wahlberg committed to this year’s AT&T before Watson did after being convinced by Clint Eastwood to come.

“If Clint asks, you go,” he said. “So I was playing with Bubba at Pelican Bay in Newport Beach and told him I was playing in the event. He said if anyone had asked to play with me yet, and I said no. He said, ‘Well, if you ask me, I might go back up there.’ I said, ‘I’d love to play with you if you’re supportive and not heckling me the last 17 holes.’ ”

Wahlberg said he started playing the game right-handed, finally found some left-handed clubs he liked and switched, and has switched back and forth a couple of times over the years.

“Don’t be surprised if you see me hitting righty off the tee if it gets erratic,” he said.

Double take

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, playing in the tournament for a second straight year, said he gets all manner of chatter from fans while he’s playing.

“You hear some funny things out there,” Rodgers said. “We’re close to Cal and Butte College, not too far away in Chico, so you get a lot of catcalls for various places I’ve been or lived. A couple discount double-checks. That’s kind of normal. But a lot more comments about the Hail Marys this year, though. Those are fun.”

Rodgers was enjoying the interview until someone asked him about his reaction to Cam Newton’s post-Super Bowl pout.

“I’m not going to answer that,” he said. “I’m here about the golf, man.”

Next great Australian?

Ryan Ruffels is viewed as perhaps the next great Australian golfer, and the first-year pro - who is just 17 years old - showed a bit of his talent by shooting a 4-under par 68 at Pebble Beach. He’s still adjusting to life on the PGA Tour, however.

“I’m starting to get used to it,” he said. “The only thing that’s different is I get my name on my bag and I get to earn money for doing what I do. But they had a tournament back in the Australasia Tour last week. I think the winner got 18 grand, and I came in 43rd last week (at Phoenix) and got 20. So that’s pretty cool, that and the courses.”