US Open: A mental test

The US Open aspires to be the complete test in golf, which goes beyond the physical skills to include the space between the ears. It helps to keep the heart rate down and avoid wild swings in emotion.

Dustin Johnson looks like he doesn’t have a pulse.

Imagine playing the toughest test in golf and not even knowing the score for the last two hours of the championship. That’s what Johnson faced last year when he won at Oakmont, and the ability to block out everything around him was every bit as critical as his pow- er off the tee, the par putt he made on the 16th hole, the bunker shot on the 17th and that 6-iron to 5 feet on the final hole for a birdie that he didn’t need.

After being told on the 12th tee that he might be penalized one shot for his golf ball moving on the fifth green, Johnson made it a point not to look at a leaderboard the rest of the way and instead play the shot in front of him.

Maybe it helped that it was a U.S. Open.

“I like really tough golf courses,” Johnson said. “I tend to focus more and play better. I like know- ing par is a good score for some reason. I don’t know why. I play better when I’m playing for pars.”

The most athletic figure in golf, Johnson also has a temperament that is a good fit for the U.S. Open. And when it comes to his mental capacity, Johnson might just have everyone fooled. What comes across as being oblivious is really nothing more than a short memory.

“I think I’m pretty good at putting anything behind me,” Johnson said. “It’s already happened. I can’t change it. Obviously, the good stuff gives you a lot of confidence.” /