Putting woes get in way of world No. 1 Johnson
“I didn’t hit it great, but I hit it good enough to shoot a good score.” Dustin Johnson
Blame Dustin Johnson’s putter, not his newborn son, for his poor round at the U.S. Open.
The defending champion, who didn’t arrive until Tuesday afternoon after the birth of his second son, shot a 3-over 75 in the first round at Erin Hills on Thursday. It was his worst round at the U.S. Open since 2013.
“I just didn’t putt very well,” Johnson said. “I missed a lot of really good opportunities. That was the big key for me. If I don’t three-putt, I shoot even. But if I just make one or two of the good looks I have, it’s a couple under.
“I didn’t hit it great, but I hit it good enough to shoot a good score.”
The world’s No. 1 player looked unbeatable early in the season, winning three consecutive starts leading into the Masters. But the day before that tournament began, he injured his back and left elbow when he slipped on the stairs at his rental house.
Johnson warmed up but quickly decided it would be impossible to play.
He returned a month later, at the Wells Fargo Championship, and tied for second. But after top-15 finishes at The Players Championship and the AT&T Byron Nelson, he missed the cut at The Memorial.
Getting the weekend off actually worked out well for Johnson, who used the unexpected free time to get in a few practice rounds at Erin Hills.
Those came in handy when River Jones Johnson was born Monday, causing Johnson to miss a full day of practice for the U.S. Open.
“Everything feels good,” he said. “The putter was feeling really good. But I felt like — like I said, I felt like I rolled it where I was looking. Just didn’t get it in the hole.”
All the time he spent in the fescue didn’t help, either.
Johnson had to scramble to make par after burying his tee shot in the long grass on the par-4 12th. Two holes later, he tried to lay up on his second shot and found the hay again instead, looking as if he was using a scythe as he took his practice swings.
The ball traveled 100 yards, at most, before coming to rest in the rough above a greenside bunker. After chipping onto the green, Johnson three-putted for a double bogey.
“Where I laid it up in the hay, that’s where it went wrong,” he said. “And then I got on the green and three-putted for a double. It was a great hole I played there.”
He three-putted for another bogey on 15. After a birdie on the par-3 16th, he was off in the fescue again on 17. Twice, no less.
If he’s looking for a souvenir for the baby, he might want to consider the stuffed cow that’s being sold in the merchandise store. It’s named “Fescue.”
Johnson steadied himself from there, playing his back nine without a bogey.
Still, with Rickie Fowler shooting 7 under, he has ground to make up.
“I hit enough fairways today to shoot a good score. But I’ve definitely got to roll it better,” Johnson said. “I’m swinging good, everything feels good, I just need to make more putts here.”