The Loop
Butch Harmon on Dustin Johnson: 'He feels this place owes him something'
Dustin Johnson might have given the impression that Whistling Straits owes him nothing, but his instructor Butch Harmon said Thursday that Johnson believes otherwise.
"He likes this course. We' know that from the last time he was here," Harmon said in an interview with Golf Channel's Steve Sands. "And he feel's this place owes him something. So he came here really kind of motivated and jacked up and ready to play."
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(Getty Images)
Johnson had four birdies and an eagle in his first 11 holes in the first round of the PGA Championship on a course in which a bunker snafu on the 18th hole of the final round deprived him an opportunity to win the PGA Championship in 2010.
At the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational last week, Johnson had a poor driving week and tied for 53rd.
"D.J. did not play well last week," Harmon said. "He struggled a little. Firestone is pretty tight off the tee, and he didn't drive it well. So we did some good work with him in the practice rounds this week. Got his takeaway a little better. Going back he was picking the club up a little on the outside. And all of a sudden his got to hit his natural shot, which is a little draw.
"And the more he practiced the better he got. This morning when he warmed up, to tell you the kind of mood he was in, we were talking about, you know, you're starting on the 10th hole, you're going to have a little down wind, the pin's tucked on the left side of the green, you're going to hit a 2-iron up the right side and get in position.'
"He said, No, I'm just going to send it and drive it on the green. I'm going to send it all day.'"