ATLANTA– Dustin Johnson only appears like he plays without a pulse. Below his stoic stare and that swagger as he strolled the fairways of East Lake were jangled nerves Monday since it meant a lot to him.
The $15 million reward for winning the FedEx Cup? That would get anybodys attention, specifically someone who believed he was rich when Johnson cashed his very first competition check as a PGA Tour rookie for $113,571.
But there was more.
” The eminence, for sure,” Johnson stated after providing an essential par putt and steady play down the stretch for a 2-under 68 and a three-shot victory in the Tour Championship.
” Being a FedEx Cup champion is something that I actually desired to do. I wished to hold that trophy at the end of the day,” Johnson said. “It was something that I wanted to accomplish during my career.”
He did it by hitting his stride at just the correct time.
1 RelatedHe won two of the three FedEx Cup postseason events and lost in a playoff by a 65-foot putt in the other. All of it came down to the last day of the last event, and even with a five-shot lead, it was never ever simple.
Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas each got within 3 shots on the front 9. They each got within two shots of Johnson with 2 holes to play. He never let them catch them, and his only birdie of the back 9 on the final hole provided him his third triumph because June and the 23rd of his PGA Tour career.
” Its an extremely difficult trophy to win,” Johnson said. “I controlled my own destiny, however I still had to go out and play well.
None were larger than the 20-foot par putt on the 13th hole to keep his lead at three shots, the 5-iron securely on the green on the toughest hole at East Lake, another 5-iron over the water on the par-3 15th _ the one hole where big numbers hide _ and a wedge out of a deep bunker and onto the green at the 16th.
” This is a hard golf course. No lead is safe,” Johnson said. “The guys offered me a great fight today.”
Johnson ended up being the very first No. 1 seed at the Tour Championship to win the FedEx Cup considering that Tiger Woods in 2009. Now he has his name etched on the silver prize along with some of the very best from his generation, beginning with Woods and most just recently Rory McIlroy, with Hall of Famers, major champions and previous world No. 1 players in between.
Schauffele, who tends to bring his finest golf to big moments, cut the result in two shots when both needed to rush for par on the 13th. Schauffele missed his par putt from 25 feet, and Johnson rammed his in.
” Hes here to win the tournament,” stated Schauffele, who closed with a 66 and had the least expensive 72-hole score of the tournament at 265. “He made that putt.
Thomas made bogey from a wild tee shot to the right on the 17th. Schauffele likewise had to rush on the 17th, leaving with par after a tee shot into the bunker. And on the par-5 18th, Johnson unleashed a drive that began left along the evergreen and faded gently toward the middle of the fairway.
That established a birdie from the front bunker, a hug with bro Austin, his caddie, and a trophy he long wanted.
Johnson was staked to a five-shot lead at 19-under par– 9 under on his own score and starting the tournament at 10 under as the No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup. He ended up at 21 under.
Schauffele and Thomas tied for 2nd, each earning $4.5 million.
Jon Rahm, the No. 2 seed, closed with a 66 to complete fourth and make $3 million. Scottie Scheffler, who a year back was preparing yourself to start his novice year, had a 66-65 finish and was 5th for a $2.5 million reward.
Therefore wrapped up the strangest season on the PGA Tour, which does not seem like the end at all except for the $15 million granted to Johnson, $14 million now and $1 million postponed.
The brand-new season starts Thursday. 2 majors are still to be played.
Golf was shut down for 3 months and when it rebooted, Johnson was No. 111 in the FedEx Cup. He won the Travelers Championship. He followed with a set of 80s in the Memorial and then a 78 at the 3M Open in Minnesota before he withdrew because he wasnt feeling rather ideal.
Ever since, he looks like the most significant skill in golf.
” I played with him at the Memorial, and Ive never ever seen him as lost, anywhere from another location near that lost,” Thomas stated. “He was putting so bad and playing so bad. He never ever gave up. He was just looking for it out there and he couldnt find it once again the next week, and then next thing you understand, two months later hes the FedEx Cup champ.
” I believe thats all you need to learn about golf right there.”
I wanted to hold that prize at the end of the day,” Johnson said. They each got within 2 shots of Johnson with 2 holes to play.” Its a really tough trophy to win,” Johnson stated. No lead is safe,” Johnson stated. Golf was shut down for three months and when it restarted, Johnson was No. 111 in the FedEx Cup.
In 4 straight tournaments versus the very best fields, he had the 54-hole 3 times and was tied in the other. He converted one into an 11-shot win. He lost to a 65 by Collin Morikawa at the PGA Championship and to a 65-foot putt by Rahm at the BMW Championship.
He terribly desired the last one, and even staked to a five-shot cause par at East Lake, it was never easy.
It seldom is for Johnson.
Hes back on top at No. 1 and with a prize he terribly wanted. Next up is the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in two weeks, a hard course, the kind Johnson enjoys.
” Im playing well. Ive got a great deal of self-confidence in the game,” he stated. “Im actually eagerly anticipating the next certainly couple months.”
