Dustin Johnson issues timely reminder ahead of | Sports News

Dustin Johnson hasn’t been on the high of his sport in recent times, however he is feeling optimistic about this week’s U.S. Open.

The national championship is returning to Oakmont Country Club close to Pittsburgh beginning Thursday, and large names like Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau are already speaking in regards to the difficult circumstances. The latter has even made a dangerous change to his sport earlier than the motion tees off.

The USGA plans to take care of fast greens and a tough that is “dense and uniformed at five inches” – regardless of making a late change to the enjoying circumstances.

Oakmont final hosted the U.S. Open in 2016, when Johnson clinched his first main victory with a profitable rating of simply four-under-par by way of 4 rounds.

Since 2023, Johnson has solely had one top-10 end at a main championship, which was at that 12 months’s U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.

This 12 months, he did not make the cut at each majors, together with a disappointing begin on the Masters, however he believes his type is enhancing and he might be a contender for this 12 months’s U.S. Open title.

“I feel like my game’s been really close,” Johnson mentioned. “I haven’t really got a lot out of it.”

In preparation for this week’s U.S. Open, the 2020 Masters champion competed at LIV Golf Virginia, ending T10 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club and ending his weekend with a five-under spherical, together with three birdies in his closing 4 holes.

“It was definitely nice to have a nice finish last week,” Johnson mentioned. “I played good every day. I didn’t – you know, still kind of giving away some shots. I need to clean that up a little bit. But played really solid every day, hit it nice, gave myself a lot of opportunities.

“Just nonetheless form of gave some photographs away every spherical which you can’t afford to do at a golf course like this.”

Describing Oakmont, he tagged it as “in all probability” the most challenging course he’s ever faced.

Johnson added: “Good recollections right here. Obviously it was a long time in the past. I’ve confidence on this golf course as a result of I do know I performed effectively, however clearly this week places a lot of stress on the motive force. I really feel like I’m driving the ball actually good proper now. Even from there, although, it would not get a lot simpler. You positively should hit it within the fairway if you need a probability to win round right here.”

On comparing Oakmont to other tough courses globally, Johnson expressed uncertainty, stating: “It’s exhausting to check. I’ve performed some exhausting programs, nevertheless it all will depend on the circumstances. This one’s exhausting no matter what — comfortable, firm, windy, no wind.”

He stressed the significance of tee shot precision in his 2016 victory, where he triumphed by three strokes and was among the mere four players finishing under par.

Johnson pinpointed his precision off the tee as a key factor in a solid performance, something needed to avoid Oakmont’s thick rough. “I drove it actually straight. I hit a lot of fairways. That was the one cause I shot that effectively,” Johnson said. “I do not know, it looks like it is more durable this time round, however that is simply possibly with the little bit of added size. It’s going to make it a little more tough.

“But yeah, somehow I figured out a way to get it under par. It was mostly the driving. Obviously even driving it in the fairway here, it’s still really difficult, but I hit a lot of good drives and a lot of good iron shots.”

In spite of latest lackluster performances, Johnson hasn’t wavered in self-belief. He famous: “Golf is a strange sport. I don’t feel like I’ve slipped any. My scores haven’t reflected, but it is a really fine line. I remember a few years ago, I missed two cuts in a row. I think I shot 80-80, and then I won the next week.

“For me it is at all times actually close to being good, however simply getting back there and holding it constant which during the last couple months I’m beginning to see a lot of patterns and the sport feels prefer it’s coming back into good type.”

Reflecting on his recent challenges, particularly at the PGA Championship, Johnson recalled: “It was good to lastly see the sport progress a little bit. I do know my rating did not mirror it on the PGA, however I really performed means higher than the rating. I simply struggled a little bit on the greens. Well, possibly that is an understatement. I struggled actually dangerous on the greens.”