Johnson falls, injures back
World No. 1 tumbles on stairs, has ‘hope of being able to play.’
AUGUSTA, Masters favorGA. — ite Dustin Johnson took a serious fall on a staircase Wednesday and injured his lower back, and his manager said it was uncertain whether the world’s No. 1 golfer would be able to play the tournament. It was a stunning develop
ment on an otherwise quiet day at Augusta National, where the course was shut down at 1:30 p.m. because of storms.
The real calamity struck a few hours later.
David Winkle, his manager at Hambric Sports, said Johnson fell on the stairs at the home he is renting in Augusta.
“He landed very hard on his lower back and is now resting, although quite uncomfortably,” Winkle said in an email. “He has been advised to remain immobile and begin a regimen of anti-in-
flammatory medication and icing, with the hope of being able to play tomorrow.”
What might help Johnson is that he is in the last group for the ope n ing round, scheduled to tee off at 2:03 p.m. with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson
and PGA champion Jimmy Walker.
Johnson had been sched- uled to attend the Golf Writ
ers Association of America annual dinner Wednesday night to accept its award as
male player of the year. He was coming off a season in which he won the U.S. Open for his first major, was voted PGA Tour player of the year for the first time, won the PGA Tour money title and captured the Vardon Trophy for the lowest adjusted scor- ing average.
Rickie Fowler this week described the 32-year-old American as a “freak of nature.”
Winkle on Tuesday said Johnson was in “as good a shape as I’ve ever seen him in every aspect of his game and his life.”
Two years ago, Rory McIlroy was playing soccer when he ruptured ligaments in his ankle a few weeks before he was to defend his title in the British Open at St. Andrews when he was No. 1 in the world. But this was far different. Johnson rose to No. 1 in the world starting with the first of three straight victo- ries, the first player to do that going into the Masters in more than 40 years. Two of those titles were World Golf Championships, and his undefeated week at the Match Play made him the first player to capture all
four of the WGCs. Johnson was at Augusta
National on Wednesday to play nine holes before the storms moved in.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in my game right now, espe- cially with the way I’ve been playing the last few tourna
ments,” he said Tuesday. “But, you know, anything can happen.”
Las Vegas Westgate Super- book reacted swiftly to Johnson’s injury. Johnson was an 11-2 betting favorite going into the Masters. An hour after the news broke, he was reduced to 7-1 along with McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
Winkle said he would not have any further comment until he knew more about Johnson’s condition.
If he cannot play, there are no alternates at the Masters.
Weather a factor: With severe storms bearing down on Augusta National, the club shut down for the sec- ond time this week.
Masters officials suspended play at 1:25 p.m. Wednesday, cutting short the final afternoon of practice before the start of the tournament as well as the popular Par 3 Contest.
Fans were ordered to leave the course as line of dangerous storms swept across the Deep South, sparking tornado warnings in Georgia and South Carolina.
The forecast is more prom- ising through the rest of the week, though high winds today and Friday could make the playing conditions chal- lenging. Sunny weather, with highs in the 70s, is expected for the final two rounds.