It was an interesting 2014 for Bubba Watson, one that started with a proclamation for personal growth, saw the greatest extended stretch of golf in his career and devolved into a series of picked-apart incidents of the American’s perceived petulance. 

So what’s in store for a follow up? Well, Watson has already made news for something other than his golf performance in 2015, but this time it is not controversial.

The 36-year-old announced on Monday that he’s joining the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos as a part owner, a move predicated on his close ties to this Cincinnati Reds affiliate squad.

Watson is good friends with the team’s two primary owners and has attended several Blue Wahoos games in recent years, as the team is situated about 20 miles from Watson’s hometown of Bagdad, Fla. In addition, he has thrown out the first pitch at a Blue Wahoos game and participated in batting practice with the squad.

In classic Bubba fashion, he took some swings with a pink bat at the Blue Wahoos’ stadium following his introduction as a new part owner. 

Watson received some slack for a series of actions throughout the second half of 2014. In July, the 36-year-old complained that the press never said anything positive about him, and followed that up with a whirlwind August that included a bizarre diatribe against a harmless long drive contest, and an alarming showcase of poor attitude at the PGA Championship.

And maybe it wasn’t a personal shortfalling, but do we even need to get into Bubbaclaus?

It’s a new year, and maybe a new Bubba.