Reinvigorated Dustin Johnson seeing results on golf course

Dustin Johnson has admittedly been more committed to golf since taking a six-month leave from playing the sport competitively into February to tackle “personal challenges” that included excessive drinking.

He’s now more consistent with his workout and practice sessions, and more focused when he comes to the golf course. “I’m just a little more committed with everything maybe,” Johnson said.

The dedication has paid off, as the Coastal Carolina alumnus is off to the best start of his eight-year PGA Tour career, at No. 3 in tour earnings despite missing the first 10 tournaments of the 2014-15 season’s wraparound schedule.

But his career has also had some serious competition for attention since the birth of his son, Tatum, on Jan. 19.

Just 3 1/2 months into fatherhood, Johnson has quickly settled into a life that balances golf and family. Rather than jetting back and forth to his home in North Palm Beach, Fla., between tournaments or for a long weekend after a missed cut to see his son and fiancée, Paulina Gretzky, the road is often Tatum’s home.

He’ll be with Gretzky this week in northeast Florida as Johnson plays in his seventh Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.

“She has always traveled with me most of the time. But now her and Tatum travel every week,” Johnson said. “The only time they didn’t come was when he was first born. They’re with me all the time.”

Johnson has also found a healthy balance in off weeks at home.

“As far as golf and family, I practice and then I hang out with them in the afternoons, or vice versa, I’ll hang out in the morning then go practice in the afternoon,” Johnson said. “Obviously it’s a little bit different I guess having family. But pretty much I do just golf and family stuff. I’m with them as much as I can be.”

Johnson has apparently found a healthy golf and baby formula.

In his past eight events, he has five finishes in the top six and six in the top 20, including a win in the WGC-Cadillac Championship, runner-up in a playoff in the Northern Trust Open and tie for sixth in the Masters.

In last week’s WGC-Cadillac Match Play, Johnson went 2-1 in matches but didn’t advance to the round of 16 out of his four-player round-robin pool because Charl Schwartzel went 3-0. On the second day of competition, Johnson lost a 1 up lead over Schwartzel on the 18^th hole and lost the match in 20 holes.

“Obviously I've been playing pretty well coming into this event and I’m excited about it,” Johnson said. “I feel like I'm playing a lot more consistent this year. I'm driving it a little bit straighter. I feel like I'm hitting more greens. So that will definitely help around here because if you hit a lot of greens, you're going to shoot a good score around here.”

Continuing his strong play this year through The Players would be an aberration.

Johnson has had little success on the challenging Pete Dye layout. His best finish in his six previous Players appearances is a tie for 34^th in 2010.

He missed the cut in his debut in 2008, tied for 79^th in 2009, tied for 57^th in 2011, withdrew after opening with a 74 in 2013 and tied for 59^th last year.

Perhaps more perplexing for Johnson is the fact he has just one score in the 60s in 18 Players Championship rounds – a 68 in the opening round last year that was followed by rounds of 74, 72 and 74.

“I like the golf course a lot, but it's tough, it's always windy, it plays difficult,” Johnson said. “I think the greens are tricky. I think putting is a big deal here. You've got to putt it well.

“I feel comfortable around here. I've played it enough times now where I know the golf course, and when it gets windy I kind of know where to hit it. Around here it's all about driving it straight. … But being in the fairway is a big help around here.”

Riding strong play, Johhnson hasn’t been tweaking his game too much with instructor Butch Harmon. “We work on pretty much the same thing always, which is posture and setup and my takeaway,” Johnson said. “Other than that, it doesn't really change too much.”

Johnson may not have to go too low into the 60s to contend this week. The last four Players winners have each shot 13-under par. “It always plays tough, so if you shoot a couple under each day, you know that you're going to have a chance to win it on Sunday,” Johnson said. “So that's one thing I like about this course is you don't have to go real low; pars are good around here. You need to take advantage of the par-5s and there are a few holes where you can get some wedges in your hand.”

Johnson has yet to win a major. His nine wins include two WGC titles and two PGA Tour playoff trophies, and a Players Championship would at least match the prestige of those victories.

“To be The Players champion, I think it would be a very big win in my career,” Johnson said. “… If you look at the champions that have won this tournament, it's a pretty good list of names, and I would like to be associated with that.”

Johnson will be back on the Grand Strand next week to film some videos/commercials for Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday that will promote a sweepstakes this summer that will have a round of golf later this year on the Strand with Johnson among its prizes.

Johnson has an endorsement agreement with the marketing cooperative and has previously taken part in a similar promotion. He will be heavily featured in national and regional advertisements and commercials in support of Myrtle Beach’s fall golf season. The promotional blitz will be centered around major championships and include television, radio and digital platforms.

Family and tour commitments have kept Johnson from visiting his golf school at the TPC Myrtle Beach, which is operated by his former coach at CCU Allen Terrell, yet this year. But he said he expects to have a junior clinic or another appearance in the near future.

“I’m going to go back sometime soon,” Johnson said. “I’ll have to talk to coach to see what he needs from me, but I’m going to do something soon.”

This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 10:54 PM with the headline "Reinvigorated Dustin Johnson seeing results on golf course."