AVIDGOLFER

Dustin Johnson Dominates Sentry TOC Like A Man Among Boys

Rick Arnett /

The only apparent message the GolfChannel talking heads could muster heading into the Sentry Tournament of Champions’ final round was if 54-hole leader Dustin Johnson would or would not blow the lead like the six shot margin he frittered away in Shanghai.

Not to worry.

DJ put on a masterful display of power and touch to bully the TOC field by a touchdown and two-point conversion. It was befitting of the world’s #1 player and a rude awakening at Augusta–if he can stay away from stair. Hint; rent a one-story crib this go ’round.

Anyway, the shot that pretty had Twitter bowing in “we’re not worthy” appreciation was Johnson’s drive on the par-4 433 12th hole.


And this…

“I hit it a little thin,” Johnson said jokingly. “No, I hit it perfect.”

Golfworld.com’s Dave Shedloski adds these nuggets.

The lithe South Carolina slugger hadn’t thought of the collapse until the media reminded him of it on Saturday as he staked himself to a two-stroke lead over Brian Harman. All he was willing to share was the new irons he had put in his bag that week weren’t invited on the flight home.

That is his way. Forget and forget.

When he shot 82 in the final round of the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, Johnson got over it in a day. Later that year, a two-stroke penalty on the 72nd hole of the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits kept him out of a playoff. He fumed for an hour. He played golf with hockey great Wayne Gretzky, father of his fiancée Paulina Gretzky, the day after three-putting the 72nd green at Chambers Bay to lose the 2015 U.S. Open to Jordan Spieth.

He had to live with that gaffe for a year, but merely brushed it off and captured the ’16 U.S. Open at Oakmont with a ball-striking display reminiscent of the one he employed on Maui.

“I didn’t want to let up on the back nine, especially after what happened in Shanghai,” said Johnson, who built his lead to four after five holes and six at the turn. “That was a really difficult day, and I just … didn’t do anything terrible, I just didn’t do anything very good, and I ended up losing. So I definitely came out today with a lot of focus. I wanted to prove to myself that ain’t going to happen again.”

“After the Shanghai incident, we definitely didn’t want to take our foot off the pedal and let someone get back into the game,” Austin said. “No, we didn’t talk about it [what happened in China]. There was no need to say anything about it. We knew we let one slip away. No way we were letting anyone get close.”

“I knew I needed to drive it well; that was my big thing,” said Johnson, who used a new M4 TaylorMade driver he had only started hitting the week prior. “I did a lot of things very well, but the driver was the biggest thing.” (That’s the new model with the Twist Face technology).

If there was a time for us weekend hackers to give a club a go, this might be it. Just remember to temper your expectations as its you hitting it, not DJ.

And if you’re still wondering if DJ’s astounding length is questionable, check this out.

Meanwhile, Jon Rahm finished in 2nd to move up to #3 in the world. He’s the youngest Spaniard to do so–and elevated his status from 551st since the 2016 U.S. Open as an amateur.

Dustin Johnson Jon Rahm Sentry TOC