Golf can be such a cruel game. While this sounds like a cliché sports fan
utter all the time whether it’s just watching a PGA event or having fun playing
a round, Dustin Johnson certainly proved this to be true yesterday. At the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay it looked
like 21-year old Jordan Spieth was going to secure the year’s second major with
a three shot lead after 16 holes.
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Before you could blink, Spieth made a double bogey at 17
followed by a Johnson birdie and the two were tied heading to the 18th
tee. If you didn’t know this much by now, you probably at least know how it
ended. Spieth made a birdie on the par five 18th and Johnson had to
counter to force a full-round playoff which would have been today. Johnson got
on the green in two and had a 15-foot eagle putt to win his first major
championship. At the very worst he’ll
get a playoff right? Not so fast. Johnson’s eagle putt sailed long leaving him
with some work to do for birdie from about five feet out. After missing the birdie putt, Johnson tapped
in for par and Jordan Spieth was the U.S. Open Champion.
Not exactly the way you wanted to see a major end. Even Spieth was shocked at Johnson’s three
putt. Not to take anything away from the youngster who’s playing well above his
age, as he is halfway to the grand slam, but all the focus is on Johnson
letting it slip away on this day after.
Granted, Johnson didn’t play his best round of golf on
Sunday, especially when it came to putting.
The 18th was not the only time Johnson missed a short
putt. But while it’s easy to look at is
as a sports fan and say he choked and didn’t deserve to win, it’s hard not to
feel for Johnson. He’s been through a lot
in his career. He was suspended for six months from the PGA Tour in 2012 for a
failed drug test. He was disqualified
from the PGA Championship in 2010 for grounding his club while on the cusp of
victory. He has finished in the top ten
at majors seven times. But he has never
walked away victorious.
Yet, perhaps this would be the time when he got to exercise
the demons. Dustin Johnson had a walk up
the 18th fairway at Chambers Bay knowing he would have a putt to
win. Five minutes later, it’s another
disappointing finish at a major for the Coastal Carolina product. As I said, golf is cruel sometimes.
So where does Johnson go from here? The first comparison I thought of shortly
after the dust had settled was Adam Scott.
The supremely talented Australian had his first major seemingly in the
bag, but let the 2012 Open Championship slip away making four straight bogies
to end his final round as Ernie Els stole the Claret Jug by a stroke. Scott bounced back to win the 2013 Masters in
a playoff over Angel Cabrera to soften the blow from the Open. Perhaps that will be Dustin Johnson. He certainly has the talent to win a major
and it’s just a question of if he can seal the deal. Or perhaps yesterday will prove to be a
defining moment of Johnson’s career.
Stay tuned.
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