PROXIMITY TO HOLE WITH HIS WEDGES (FEET)

Charting the last five years of Dustin Johnson’s performance at different distances inside 125 yards, this graphic gives a clear picture of just how much progress he has made with his wedge game. DJ has improved in each parameter, hitting the ball on average three feet closer than he did in 2012 – a massive change at this level of the game. But these figures also help us understand how sharper pitching has contributed to his rise to the top. In 2012, when his average of 20ft 5in from 50-125 yards placed him 166th in this category on the PGA Tour, his official world ranking was 23. By the close of 2016, when his high point of 16ft moved him up to 4th in the stats, he was ranked 3rd in the world. While his figures since the have softened slightly, his 17ft 5in average ensured he finished the year as the world’s best golfer.