The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Johnson’s goal this year: Get to first tee
The recovery from the back injury took a lot longer than he imagined, longer than the sting of having to miss the Masters. Dustin Johnson has a remarkable knack of moving forward.
AUGUSTA, GA. » The recovery from the back injury took a lot longer than he imagined, longer than the sting of having to miss the Masters.
Dustin Johnson, with a history of misfortune in the majors, has a remarkable knack of moving forward.
If only everyone would quit reminding him.
“I get asked about it every day out here on the range or walking down the fairway,” Johnson said. “So I’m reminded all the time.”
The back injury getting most of the attention at this year’s Masters belongs to Tiger Woods, and for good reason. It was far more severe, requiring four surgeries over four years, the last one fusion in the lumbar area. More than keeping Woods from playing Augusta National three of the last four years, he hardly played at all.
Johnson’s injury was a freak accident at the worst time.
He had won his last three tournaments against three of the strongest fields of the year, which not only elevated him to No. 1 in the world, it made him the biggest favorite at the Masters since Woods was at his peak.
Then 24 hours before he was to tee off, calamity struck.
Johnson was still wearing socks after returning home from the gym. It was raining. His son was headed back from day care, so he ran downstairs in his rental home to move the car. The stairs were wooden, a bad combination with socks. Johnson slipped and crashed down the stairs, wrenching his back. His brother, Austin, was the first to reach him and still recalls the wild eyes of his older brother looking up at him.
Johnson tried to loosen up on the range. He went to the putting green. And then he had no choice but to withdraw.
“It was just a freak thing, and it happened. There’s nothing I can do about it except I’m here this year,” Johnson said Tuesday. “Hopefully, I can tee it up on Thursday. Definitely be looking forward to that.”
One year later, so much has changed. Johnson remains No. 1 in the world for the 59th consecutive week — only Woods (three times), Greg Norman (twice) and Nick Faldo have held the No. 1 ranking longer.