News: TOUR Notes
May 14 2012
4:49 pm
Dustin to return at the Memorial
Dustin Johnson, who has been plagued by back pain for the better part of the last two months, plans to return to the PGA TOUR at the Memorial Tournament.
Johnson has not played since he tied for 35th at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship the second week in March. He had posted top-10 finishes in his three starts prior to Doral.
“Obviously, I can’t wait to get back out and compete,” Johnson said in a statement released by his management company. “I came into this year with some big goals, including making our Ryder Cup team, so I’ve got some serious ground to make up this summer.”
The Memorial Tournament will be played May 31-June 3 at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio. Johnson finished fourth in the event hosted by the legendary Jack Nicklaus a year ago.
Johnson had arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage to his right knee last November. In his first start of 2012, he withdrew from the Humana Challenge after the second round, citing back pain, and later did the same prior to the Arnold Palmer Invitational March in hopes of being ready for the Masters.
The Friday prior to the start of the Masters, though, Johnson was trying to lift a jet ski near his home and severely strained his lower back muscles. He has been resting and rehabbing ever since.
“I’m feeling better every day and working hard, so I plan to be 100 percent ready by the time the Memorial rolls around,” Johnson said. “I’m still a little rusty, but it’s falling off in chunks.”
The five-time PGA TOUR champion had hoped to play in the HP Byron Nelson Championship this week. But he decided to wait two more weeks to be completely ready.
“It will be great to get back out there and I can assure you I’ll be plenty motivated," Johnson said.
News: TOUR Notes
May 3 2012
3:45 pm
Johnson withdraws from PLAYERS
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM
Dustin Johnson, who has been sidelined with a back injury since the Masters, has withdrawn from next week’s PLAYERS Championship.
“Obviously, I am very disappointed to miss THE PLAYERS Championship, as it’s our championship and a special week,” Johnson said in a statement. “However, after several weeks of rest and rehab on my back, I am excited to finally be feeling better and have been cleared to get back to work. It’s been a much longer road than I expected.”
Johnson aggravated his ailing back lifting a jet ski at his home in Jupiter, Fla., the week before the Masters.
“I can promise you, I won’t be doing any more heavy lifting, other than in the gym,” said Johnson. “I’ve learned a valuable and expensive lesson the hard way.”
Johnson has been plagued by ongoing back pain since returning in January following arthroscopic surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his knee.
In his first week back, he withdrew from the Humana Challenge after the second round before returning to play a week later in San Diego.
Johnson made five more starts, finishing in a tie for fifth at Pebble Beach and a tie for fourth at Riviera. He went on to play twice more before later withdrawing from the Masters.
“Looking back, I may have returned to competition a couple of weeks early following my knee surgery,” Johnson said. “I won’t make the same mistake this time. There’s no point in me taking any dumb risks and hurrying my return just because I’m anxious. The next time I tee it up, I’m going to be healthy, strong and 100 percent ready.”
Added Johnson’s agent, David Winkle of Hambric Sports Management: “Dustin has been through a lot in the past few months and has learned that he’s not invincible. Injury is seemingly becoming more common amongst some of the fittest, most athletic players in the game, such as Tiger Woods and Gary Woodland. Those guys, along with Dustin, are beasts, physically. However, they’re still susceptible to injury and wear-and-tear, given how hard they train and practice.”
Johnson has played in every PLAYERS Championship since he’s been on the PGA TOUR with a tie for 34th in 2010 his best finish in four appearances.
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April 3 2012
12:10 pm
Johnson withdraws from Masters
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Dustin Johnson has withdrawn from the Masters due to a tweaked back.
About 15 minutes after the announcement was made in the media center, Johnson took to Twitter to explain.
“First I have to apologize to the fans and sponsors. With heartfelt regret, I won’t be playing in the Masters due to a tweaked back. #imsorry
“You have no idea how much I wanted to walk the fairways at Augusta and fulfill what I’ve been practicing for!! I’ll have to root my buddies!”
This would have been Johnson’s fourth Masters. His best finish is a tie for 30th in his 2009 debut.
Johnson has played in seven events this year with three straight top-10 finishes starting at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He withdrew from the Humana Challenge earlier this year with a back injury and had taken the last three weeks off to prepare for Augusta National.
The Masters field is now 96 players.
News: Equipment notes
March 14 2012
2:35 pm
Bubba-long, new bellies and brackets
By John Schwarb, PGATOUR.COM
Bubba Watson came up just short in his bid to win the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, but that’s about the only way to get “Bubba Watson” and “short” in the same breath.
Watson is leading the PGA TOUR in driving distance through the first 10 weeks of the season, and there’s not a close second. Watson is averaging 316.1 yards per drive, nearly nine yards ahead of Robert Garrigus (check out the full list here).
At Doral, Watson and his all-pink G20 were, well, monstrous at TPC Blue Monster, with 37 drives of 300 yards or longer and a field-leading average of 318.4 yards. For the season, more than 62 percent of Watson’s drives have sailed more than 300 yards.
Should the Florida panhandle native hold on to his top spot, it would be the first time he’s led the stat since a three-year run as the TOUR’s longest driver from 2006-08. He was second in 2009 and 2010 to Robert Garrigus, and second to J.B. Holmes last season.
BELLYING UP: Thomas Bjorn used a belly putter for the first time in his career at WGC-Cadillac, an Odyssey White Hot XG No. 1 Protype Blade. He opened with two 68s before a 75-71 weekend left him in a tie for 24th.
Darren Clarke also had a belly in competition for the first time, a TaylorMade Ghost Spider.
TWEAKS: Phil Mickelson had new shafts, Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana a’hina 70x, in his Callaway Razr Fit driver and Big Bertha Diablo 3-wood. … Noted hybrid fan Y.E. Yang had a TaylorMade RBZ 3-wood in the bag at Doral, a 13-degree model to try to stay under the strong winds. … After switching to TaylorMade’s Tour Preferred MC irons in the offseason, Dustin Johnson returned to Tour Preferred MB irons – his 2011 sticks – at WGC-Cadillac.
HOOP IT UP: Think you’ve got the NCAA Tournament figured out? Golfweek has a contest awarding golf gear like a Rickie Fowler-signed hat to the best bracket. Check it out here.
WINNERS’ BAGS: Justin Rose at the WGC-Cadillac Championship:
Driver: TaylorMade R11, 8 degrees
3-wood: TaylorMade RBZ, 15 degrees
Hybrid: TaylorMade Rescue 11, 19 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade MB 4-PW
Wedges: TaylorMade ATV, 52, 56 degrees; Cleveland 588, 60 degrees
Putter: TaylorMade Ghost Tour Corza
Ball: TaylorMade Penta TP5
George McNeill at the Puerto Rico Open:
Driver: Cleveland Launcher Ultralite TL 310, 9.5 degrees
Fairway woods: Titleist 906F2 3-wood, 15 degrees; 5-wood, 18 degrees
Irons: Cleveland 588 Forged MB, 3-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 Forged, 54, 60 degrees
Putter: Nike Method 001
Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV
News: TOUR Notes
February 27 2012
1:06 pm
Shots of the Week: Accenture
Top five shots
Check out the top five shots of the week from the Accenture Match Play Championship with highlights from Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Dustin Johnson, Hunter Mahan, Francesco Molinari, and Tiger Woods.
Round 3: World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play
February 24 2012
2:50 pm
Watch: Wilson’s hot start
Wilson birdies No. 3
Mark Wilson sinks a 24-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 third hole in his match against Dustin Johnson.
Round 3: Northern Trust Open
February 18 2012
2:17 pm
Dustin birdies three straight
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — About an hour before he teed off with Bryce Molder and Ken Duke, Dustin Johnson tweeted: "Yeahhhh boy it’s #MovingDay !!!"
That’s just what he’s done, too, over an adventurous opening nine at Riviera.
Johnson started the third round at 1 under but promptly birdied the first hole, making a 2-footer, and the par-3 fourth where the lanky South Carolinian rolled in a 12-footer. Johnson gave one shot back, though, when he missed a 5-footer to save par from behind the green at the seventh hole.
Not to worry. Johnson has just answered with three straight birdies to pull with a shot of Phil Mickelson.
Johnson, who is now tied with Jonathan Byrd and Keegan Bradley at 5 under, started the streak with a 40-foot bomb at the eighth hole. He added a 7-footer at No. 9 after a pinpoint approach and then took advantage of the drivable 10th for a 5-footer.
Round 3: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
February 11 2012
3:30 pm
Leaderboard update: Still chasing Wi
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — The good news for Charlie Wi is that he still has a three-shot cushion. The bad news is he has some major firepower right behind him.
It’s been a few holes since Tiger Woods has made a birdie — he made five of them in a seven-hole stretch at one point — but he’s still right there in a tie for second, and he has a par-5 still left to play.
Right there with Woods is Padraig Harrington, who is 3 under through nine holes at Spyglass Hill. Harrington, by the way, also leads the celebrity portion of the event with European businessman J.P. McManus as his partner.
Another shot back is two-time AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am winner Dustin Johnson. He started his round with two straight bogeys but has come back nicely at 1 under through 14 holes. Johnson will be disappointed if he didn’t take more advantage of the easiest course in the rotation, but if he wins he obviously won’t care.
Phil Mickelson isn’t totally out of it either. He’s 1 under through 5 holes on Pebble Beach and 8 under for the week, five shots back of Wi.
Round 2: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
February 10 2012
5:02 pm
Watch: Back-to-back Johnson birdies
Johnson birdies 18th at Spyglass
Dustin Johnson hits his approach shot to 16 feet on the par-4 18th hole and sinks the birdie putt.
Johnson birdies 17th at Spyglass
Dustin Johnson hits his second shot to 23 feet on the par-4 17th hole and holes the putt for birdie.
12:00 pm
Johnson in familiar position
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — There’s not much comparison between Pebble Beach during this event and when the U.S. Open is held here. For one, the rough is practically non-existent this year. But there were some lessons Dustin Johnson took away from the 2010 U.S. Open was held here.
“I just got really fast,” Johnson said. “Fast with my golf swing, fast walking, fast with club selection, decision making, everything was going a thousand miles an hour.”
In Thursday’s opening round of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am that of course wasn’t the case — mostly due to the celebrity end of the event — and Johnson took advantage with a 9-under 63 to own a share of the lead.
”I never got quick, never pulled a club quick,” he said. “I never felt like I got out of my rhythm.”
Johnson will try to carry that same feeling to Spyglass Hill today when he tees off at 12:17 p.m. ET. And given his history in this tournament — he won it in 2009 and 2010 — that shouldn’t be too difficult, especially with more good weather early Friday.
“I love the courses,” Johnson said. “They all set up very well to me. I feel comfortable on them, especially off the tees.”
As for Johnson’s knee, which was operated on late last year and as a result caused some back pain that forced him to withdraw from his first start of this year, it shouldn’t be a concern.
“Feeling good,” Johnson said. “No issues physically. We’re all good.”
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