Dustin Johnson won his seventh career PGA Tour title on Tuesday. High winds had made the Plantation Course at Kapalua unplayable on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The players were able to complete 36 holes on Monday and a final 18 holes on Tuesday morning to make it an official event.
Johnson fired 69-66 to get to 11-under par on Monday and hold a three-shot lead over 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions winner Steve Stricker.
Johnson struggled slightly on the back nine with his driver in the final round but increased his lead to four shots and pocket the $1.1 million first place check.
Dustin Johnson is just 28 years old and has been on tour for six years. He is the only player not named Tiger Woods to have won at least one PGA Tour event in each of his first six years on tour.
He earned his PGA Tour card in the 2007 Q-School. Although he struggled for most of the 2008 season, he won the Turning Stone Resort Championship in October and secured his card for 2009.
Johnson has had some chances in majors but has not been able to add a major title to his resume’.
He held the 54-hole lead in the 2010 U.S. Open but a final round 82 gave the win to Graeme McDowell. A nasty incident with a bunker kept him out of a playoff in the 2010 PGA Championship after he had a one-shot lead standing on the 72nd tee. He also finished runner-up in the 2011 Open Championship.
Injuries kept him out of the 2012 Masters but he has posted five Top-10’s in his last 12 majors.
Is Dustin Johnson now the best player to have not won a major championship?
He is one of the longest players on tour. Over the winter he worked with coach Butch Harmon to improve his short game. The hard work paid off this week in Hawaii.
He was solid over 3-5 foot putts and even chipped in for an eagle two on the par-4 No. 14 in the last round.
If he can add these types of short finesse shots around the greens major hardware has to be in his near future.
One of Johnson’s strengths is his short memory. Even though he has had some disappointments in his short career he has moved on and has turned them into more wins on the PGA Tour.
He came back strong at the end of 2012 after returning from injuries that kept him off the tour for three months. He posted top-10 finishes in all four of the 2012 FedEx Cup Playoff events and performed well in the Ryder Cup.
His length and improved short game may just be the perfect combination for the first major of 2013, the Masters at Augusta National in April.