Been There, Hit That
Watch Dustin Johnson peg a tree with a chip shot, become as relatable to average golfers as he has in years
Dustin Johnson isn’t used to rough days on the golf course of late. Since reclaiming the top spot in the World Ranking last August, DJ has played in seven tournaments, winning three times (including the Masters in November) and claiming two other runner-up finishes. In 28 rounds, prior to this week’s Genesis Invitational, he’s averaged 68.07 with just four rounds over par and 15 of 68 or lower.
Given this, along with DJ’s impressive record at Riviera Country Club (winner in 2017, two-time runner-up in 2014 and 2015), being two strokes back of Sam Burns entering the final round on Sunday in Los Angeles didn’t seem like too big a deficit to overcome.
However, it looks highly unlikely Johnson is going to claim PGA Tour title No. 25 after the way he played the front nine. While Burns made the turn in four under, Johnson could only muster a one-under score after making a sloppy bogey on the par-4 ninth hole to fall five back.
As he stepped to the tee on Riviera’s famed 10th hole, DJ had to hope it could provide a spring board to a back-nine charge, the short par 4 playing less than 300 yards in the final round. But Johnson tugged his tee shot, the ball coming to rest in the kikuyu rough left of the green. And while he seemed to have an opening to the hole, then this happened:
Finally, Johnson hit a shot that made a sound that average golfers can relate to.
DJ then chipped his third shot on to the green, but 12 feet past the hole and failed to make the par-saving putt.
To his credit, be bounced back with a birdie on the 11th hole, only to make a three-putt bogey on the 12th hole. For once, it doesn't seem to be Johnson's day.