Johnson: Fixing injured lower back, broken heart

Dustin Johnson was back on the stationary bike, moving forward without really going anywhere.

The good news for golf's No. 1 player is that an MRI showed only a deep bruise on the left side of his lower back. If doctors had taken images a little higher up the torso, they also might have seen a slight tear in his heart.

"One thing I never want to have to do again," Johnson said Tuesday, "is watch a major from my couch."

At least he watched. And it wasn't all bad.

He was thrilled to see Sergio Garcia overcome a two-shot deficit in the Masters and two decades of frustrations in the majors. Johnson could relate to that, having been in position to win a major four times before winning the U.S. Open last summer at Oakmont.

Good luck finding someone who can relate to Johnson's experience at the 81st Masters.

Sure, there have been times when a No. 1 player had to withdraw from a major. But not when the player was coming off three straight victories against the strongest fields of the year. Not when that player was five minutes and 20 yards from the first tee.

And never has an injury to a No. 1 player been so bizarre on so many levels.

He had finished his final nine holes of practice Wednesday before the storms rolled in. Johnson had gone to the gym and had just returned to his rented house at Augusta when it started raining and he wanted to move his car.

Wearing only socks, he slipped down the staircase, crashing onto his back and left elbow.

"It was terrible," Johnson said. "And the weirdest part is, I never walk around in socks. For some reason if I walk around barefooted, my left foot starts to hurt. That's why I always have shoes on. But I just got back from the gym and wanted to run down and move the car over. And I slipped."

Johnson said it was the worst pain he has ever felt.

"I thought I broke my back in half," he said. "I really thought my back was broken."

He still thought about playing when he left the practice range Thursday, only to realize on the putting green that he couldn't. Johnson said he was hitting his 4-iron about 200 yards in the air (it usually flies 235 yards) and he had no idea which direction the ball was going until he hit it. Over the next 15 minutes, on the cart ride to the putting green and a few more full swings between putts, reality won out.

One reason I’m good at golf is because I try not to let it bother me. It sucks. It sucks right now. But I woke up this morning, and it was a good day. DUSTIN JOHNSON