AKRON, OHIO — Turns out Dustin Johnson couldn’t wait to be penalized one stroke in a ruling that caused so much consternation at the U.S. Open.
Ten days ago at rugged Oakmont Country Club north of Pittsburgh, Johnson was in position to win his first major championship after so many tragic shortfalls. Standing over a six-foot par putt on the fifth hole, the ball moved ever so slightly as he got ready to putt. Initially, he was told there would be no penalty stroke. On the 12th tee he was told otherwise, as the U.S. Golf Association officials told him they were still reviewing the incident.
Despite all of that hanging over his head, Johnson closed with authority and settled the matter on the golf course and in the scoring trailer to earn his first major championship.
“Fortunately it didn't matter because I won by four, and I guess now I won by three,” Johnson said Wednesday as he prepared for the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club. “I was arguing with them because I still don't believe that I did anything to make the golf ball move. But at that point I was ready to sign my scorecard and get my trophy, so I just said, ‘Give me the penalty, let's go.’ ”
Later that night he watched an engraver cut his name into the trophy. The next morning he walked into the kitchen of his Florida home and saw the trophy.
“Gave me a smile a little bit,” Johnson said.
The big-hitting Johnson — his driver was the most powerful weapon in the U.S. Open — has been smiling a lot since leaving Oakmont. He smiled during his interview with the media at Firestone knowing he no longer has to answer to why he’s never won a major.
He smiled when he told of his post-Open, week-long, relaxing celebratory trip to Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas that included blowing out 32 candles on his birthday cake. He smiled about all the text messages and emails he received congratulating him.
And he smiled at what the future might hold.
“The first one is definitely the hardest. Well, it was for me. So I feel like now that I've won one that I know I can do it,” said Johnson, who had 11 top-10s in majors before winning his first. “I've believed all along that I could do it, and I kept telling you all, it's going to happen if I keep putting myself into position.
“ … I know I've got it for sure, but I felt like I had it before, but it never worked out. But now I really know I've got what it takes to get it done. That’s definitely a very good thing to have. I believed that I had it, but there's always that thing in the back of your head telling you, do you really have what it takes. But now I know.”
Johnson is rolling as he tries to win his third WGC event. His victory in the U.S. Open was his seventh top-10 in his last 10 events. The extra boost of confidence he gets when he thinks about that silver trophy in his kitchen doesn’t hurt, either.
“I felt like my putting was holding me back, but I feel like I've worked really hard and it's getting better,” Johnson said. “I putted really well on Sunday at the U.S. Open. You know, that was really the only thing that was the difference between me winning four or five times this year and finishing with a lot of top-5s.
“ … Obviously I've felt like I've been playing really well all year and just haven't been able to get a W. It definitely came at a good time a couple weeks ago.”
Follow Steve DiMeglio on Twitter @Steve_DiMeglio.
