Ever since his days as an uber-talented junior golfer playing in the Columbia area, Dustin Johnson’s “super power” has been a seeming nonchalance about his game.
Whether winning by a bunch or faltering (a rarity, admittedly), young DJ rarely showed anything other than a cool detachment.
That often camouflaged a burning desire to do great things. But it was as if his philosophy, as an All-American at Coastal Carolina and in 17 professional seasons, was “never let them see you sweat.”
So it was no surprise Wednesday during practice for Thursday’s start of the 152nd Open Championship , when Johnson was asked about his 2015 Open, he had to think hard to recall the details.
Talk about disappointing: Through 36 holes at St. Andrews that week, he had shot 65-69 to lead at the halfway point. But as quickly as he had surged to the top, he stumbled to a 75-75 finish while others blew past him. He tied for 49th while surprise winner Zach Johnson was capturing a Monday playoff .
Did bitter disappointment spark his response? You might think so; he ran off top-10 finishes in his next four majors, capped by his 2016 U.S. Open victory at Oakmont Country Club.
In 2020’s COVID-restricted “October Masters,” the tournament he’d dreamed of winning since childhood, he shot a tournament-record 268, 20-under par, to win easily — and showed rare emotion when choking up at the green jacket ceremony.
Sparked by 2015? Well … “Not necessarily,” Johnson said Wednesday at Royal Troon.
“Obviously, you learn from those situations: what it’s like to be in it, what you need to do to get it done …”
But … “I didn’t remember (his poor finish in) 2015,” he said with a wry smile. “One thing I remember, it was probably on Saturday, I made a big number on (the 11th hole). I was nervous, and it was raining.”
And … that’s it. During a stellar PGA Tour career — less so since he moved to the LIV Tour in 2022 — that approach has usually worked for him.
Once the world’s No. 1-ranked player, Johnson isn’t among the week’s favorites (Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele are). His major-championships record the past two years isn’t good, with three missed cuts in seven majors; his best major this year is a T-43 at the PGA Championship.
But David Winkle, Johnson’s agent-manager for 17 years, said he’s seen a more focused and confident player at Royal Troon. Johnson, he said, has too much talent to lay dormant for long.
“All year, I’ve felt he was reasonably close to playing well, just not hitting on all cylinders,” Winkle said. “But this week, I’ve seen more pep in his step, and since we got here Monday, he’s gotten better by the hour. He’s swinging much better than in this year’s first three majors, and this event fits him like a glove.”
Indeed, Johnson has loved Open-style golf since his college days.
“We played a college tournament at St. Andrews Bay, and I liked links golf from the first time I played it,” Johnson said. “It’s completely different from what play we in the U.S., the way you’ve got to hit all kinds of different shots. You’ve got to think. There are 10 different ways you can play a shot; you can use all the clubs in your bag. It gives you options, and I like that.”
Tales of Johnson’s golfing creativity go back to his junior days. Winkle says he saw that at their first Open in 2009; Johnson missed the cut, but two years later tied for second, his best of five top-10 finishes. In 2022, he tied for sixth.
“I was curious how his game would acclimate to links golf, and in the first hour, I was going, ‘Oh, wow,’ ” Winkle said. “I don’t think there’s any other kind of golf that allows creative players to use all the tools in their toolboxes, and he’s got so many tools, so much creativity.”
That hasn’t been much on display since he left the PGA Tour for the Saudi-backed LIV tour, which has little profile in the United States. Johnson reiterated that his decision hinged on “what I thought was best for me and my family,” opting for LIV’s guaranteed mega-bucks. “I love the game, love the (PGA) Tour, enjoy playing out there, but at the end of the day, golf is still what I do to make a living. I did what I thought was best for that.”
Johnson, like players on both tours, hopes for a settlement in the PGA-LIV dispute .
“I think they’ll figure out something,” he said. “The guys doing it (among them Tiger Woods) are fairly smart, and I hope there’s a way we can get all the best players in the world together a few more times other than majors.”
For now, his Masters title enables him to play all four majors this year, and “at this point in my career, majors are more important,” he said. “I feel my game is coming around. I’ve been playing good this year but not getting the scores, and I’m usually very good at scoring.
“I’ve got confidence in my game, I’m starting to play really nicely, and hopefully, it starts to click, and I have a good end of this season.”
Winkle can see that happening.
“To me, Dustin is one of three of four who, when they’re playing their best golf, it doesn’t matter what anyone else does,” he said. “Jack (Nicklaus) had that luxury; Tiger had that luxury. If (Johnson) goes out and plays great DJ golf, he’ll be just fine come Sunday.”
If so, chances are good he’ll remember it.
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