Has Saudi offer derailed Dustin’s major plans?
WHAT’S happened to Dustin Johnson? For the first time in his career he has missed two halfway cuts in majors in the same season — and we’ve still got two to play.
World No1s occasionally fail to make it through to the weekend in the Grand Slams but you have to go back to Greg Norman in 1997, when he was broken mentally after what Sir Nick Faldo did to him at the Masters the previous year, to find the last one to miss two in a row.
It’s utterly bewildering when you consider the invincible-looking Johnson, who capped a stunning run of form by smashing no fewer than nine tournament records on his way to winning the Masters last November.
Back then the 36-year-old outlined a nine-year plan for winning more majors, before riding into the sunset with fiancee Paulina Gretzky.
He then started out this year by beating a strong field in Saudi Arabia to lengthen his lead at the top of the rankings to the equivalent of Manchester City’s advantage in the Premier League.
Since then, though, he has fallen off the charts, with those two missed cuts and not a single top-25 finish in his last seven starts. At Kiawah Island he departed after rounds of 76 and 74 left him six over par.
So why the dramatic transformation? Now it may be that his injured knee is more troublesome than he’s been letting on, or some other issue away from the course.
He was certainly badly affected by the death of his grandfather, a college
basketball legend, shortly before the Masters.
But, since the timing is identical, it’s understandable to wonder whether the fact the Saudis came calling once more with all their filthy lucre has proved an overpowering distraction.
While World No2 Justin Thomas, No3 Jon Rahm and, most vocally of all, Rory McIlroy have come out strongly against the proposed Super League — honestly, what PR dolt sanctioned that name so soon after the furore with the football version? — Johnson has remained conspicuously silent. No player under 40 has been more strongly linked with the Saudis since they started their event on the European Tour in 2019.
No player has received more appearance money, either. Now the Saudis are offering more money. An awful lot more.
Johnson would be a massive coup and could expect a bonus cheque of at least $40million simply for signing on for the Super League.
Given his intention only to be around for nine more years, you can see why he is weighing up his options.
His manager, David Winkle, was at the agents’ meeting with the Saudis on Tuesday, while Johnson’s lawyers are no doubt poring over whether it would be legal for PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan to carry out his threat to expel anyone who joins the rebel circuit.
The legendary Tom Watson once said it was impossible for a top player to perform at his best unless the only sound he can hear between his ears is silence.
You do wonder if all Johnson can hear right now is a cacophony.