Redemption is complete as Johnson goes to No 1
WAS it really less than four years ago that Dustin Johnson was excusing himself from Ryder Cup duty and taking an extended period away from the game to sort out his party lifestyle?
‘The most talented player in the game,’ according to Jordan Spieth, was seemingly in danger of squandering it all.
For anyone who loves a story of a man gratefully accepting a second chance, therefore, it was all there on the 18th green at Riviera on Sunday as Johnson wrapped his arms around his pregnant fiancee Paulina Gretzky, hugged his son Tatum and savoured the honour of being known as the world’s best golfer for the first time.
‘I don’t know how it works, it’s way too complicated for me, but I’m looking forward to getting up in the morning and having a look at the rankings,’ said the 32-year-old. ‘I mean, I understand 1-2-3.’
It seemed enough of a redemptive tale when he ended the years of heartbreak at the majors to win the US Open last June. But getting to the top of the world game requires a serious body of work over a sustained period of time, and rather completes the saga.
By winning the Genesis Open, Johnson becomes the 20th golfer to top the rankings since they began in 1986. In recent years it has become something of a poisoned chalice. It seemed to ruin Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald is now in the nether ranks while Jason Day has been so stressed by it all that the end of his 47-week reign may well prove a blessing in disguise for the personable Aussie. None of the 20, however, have been as carefree as Johnson, which will surely help him deal with all the extra attention as we head closer to the Masters.
Never before in the history of the rankings has a group of six — in addition to Day, Johnson and Spieth, the others are Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson and Hideki Matsuyama — pulled away at the top as they have now, with clear daylight between themselves and everyone else.
Two from America, two from Europe and two from the rest of the world.
Let’s just say this: whoever is at the top of the pile come December will have had a hell of a year.