Johnson too talented not to win major
He has been described by some as a tragic hero, one whose error in judgment inevitably leads to his own destruction.
There is no doubt Dustin Johnson owns an impulsive nature on and off the golf course, but three-putting with a chance to win the U.S. Open hardly pushes a guy to swallow a vial of poison.
At least not one whose fiancee never faked her own death and is named Paulina Gretzky.
Johnson is the consummate example of a player who simply owns too much skill not to eventually win a major championship, one who hits it farther than most and owns a creative nature to his game few can match.
He is 31 and all that and more with a club in his hand.
But his has been a professional journey of excruciating finishes in golf‘s biggest events while fighting personal issues away from the course, a road he has traveled very much under a glaring public spotlight, which can be a taxing existence for someone so, well, boring.
You can‘t play any better tee-to-green than what Johnson did last month at Chambers Bay and not win a U.S. Open title he deserved as much as anyone. He was spectacular until reaching the green on the 72nd hole, where major meltdowns of the past again showed their ugly face and Jordan Spieth walked away the winner.
The two are in the same group for the first two rounds of the British Open, which will be well underway at St. Andrews today before most stateside awaken to study the leaderboard.
Spieth, golf‘s most popular and captivating figure now that Rory McIlroy is recovering from his left ankle being ripped apart by a soccer ball and Tiger Woods is focused on not shooting 80 and Phil Mickelson is busy checking for FBI agents behind the nearest tree, is favored to win a third straight major and lift the Claret Jug on Sunday.
It should probably be Johnson seeking consecutive majors this week, but collapses such as the one at Chambers Bay have become a familiar pattern for a player whose career to date would be judged in a far different manner if not for those memorable meltdowns.
He had a three-shot lead entering the final round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in 2010 — and shot 82.
He was on the verge of a playoff at the PGA Championship that same year at Whistling Straits — and grounded his club in a sand trap on the 72nd hole and was assessed a two-shot penalty.
He was in contention at the 2011 British Open — and hit an approach on 14 at Royal St. George that almost landed in Dublin.
He could have and absolutely should have won at Chambers Bay — and three-putted from 12 feet.
He has four top-eight finishes in his last six majors — and no wins.
"I think every situation you can learn from," Johnson told reporters at St. Andrews this week. "You know, it just depends on the way you want to look at it. I think every person is different. I try to look at them all as learning opportunities. Each one helps me get closer to actually getting a major.
"I think (getting close) so many times gives the confidence to know I have what it takes to win. I think I showed that at (Chambers Bay). Coming down the back nine, I was hitting the shots that I wanted to hit. Unfortunately, the ball wasn‘t bouncing in the hole. You know, I‘ve got what it takes, so I‘m excited to get this week started."
He is probably excited just to be playing, having returned earlier this year from a six-month absence for reportedly testing positive for cocaine a third time in five years. Johnson denied ever failing a drug test, but admitted that binge drinking played a part in his stepping away from the game for what he termed a "mission of self-improvement."
There were also reports he had an affair with at least one wife of a PGA Tour player.
He apparently had a lot going on.
But as he strolled off the 18th at Chambers Bay that certain Sunday last month, Johnson was greeted by Gretzky and the couple’s toddler son, Tatum. In yet another crushing conclusion to his quest for a major, he at least appeared content with a bigger picture.
"I mean, obviously right after, I was a little bit frustrated, a little disappointed," he said. "But it was still a good week and with Paulina and Tatum standing there, that definitely made things a lot better.
"You know, I played really well that week. I was happy with the way I played and the way I handled myself coming down the last few holes. I thought I hit the shots that I was supposed to hit. You know, I did everything I was supposed to.
"It wasn‘t too difficult to get over it."
Another tough, forgettable ending.
But it sure beats swallowing a vial of poison a few minutes early.
Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on, "Seat and Ed," on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney
