Time for Dustin Johnson to rise up and challenge Rory McIlroy

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/09/golf-dustin-johnson-rory-mclroy-ewan-murray

Version 0 of 1.

Dustin Johnson has never been included in the discussion about who may be involved in the rivalry that Rory McIlroy has always insisted he craves. That has nothing to do with talent, or a supposed lack of it; rather, Johnson has been presumed as being too daft, too distracted, to optimise what he has. Given that backdrop, how could he challenge the best player in the world?

After Johnson’s success at the WGC-Cadillac Championship, that may be about to change. At least, we should all hope it will. The 30-year-old has a level of ability which would place him in the same category as McIlroy should he choose to dedicate himself towards maximising it. Rather than becoming the George Best – or Alex Higgins? – of golf, Johnson must now take the next step by becoming the player he has always threatened to be. The penny has surely dropped that being part of a superstar relationship, with Paulina Gretzky in this specific instance, shouldn’t be enough for someone with traces of professional genius.

Up until now, some have said Johnson can only blast a driver and therefore butcher specific courses. At Doral, he neither three-putted nor scored more than bogey on a single hole. This is the same player who proved a revelation at the Ryder Cup in Medinah, who has recorded one win per season from 2008 onwards and who, in terms of core athletic ability, would rival lauded individuals in other sports. Johnson’s peers respect and regard him as one of the finest golfers in the world. They are right to do so; sometimes the rest of us just need the odd reminder as to why.

On a personal level he is a likeable, laid back – to the point of horizontal – individual who might just be in more in tune with wider society than many of those around him by virtue of the fact he is obviously susceptible to moments of weakness whilst not offering a pretence of infallibility. Johnson isn’t false or phoney in a sport where plenty are.

With Johnson there always seems a subtext. A whisper of controversy. That much was again illustrated during his victory press conference at Doral, where he was asked outright whether he had “flunked” a drugs test. “No,” came the reply. “Thanks.” For asking, presumably. Johnson clearly didn’t appreciate the intervention during a window of celebration but he has become used to similar.

Johnson has taken concerted leaves of absence from competitive action. After the last one, for six months and which only ended in February, he spoke of his battles with alcohol. “I did my fair share of partying,” Johnson said. “It’s not like I was drinking every day. It was more like alcohol abuse – that’s not the right word, but more along those lines. When I drank, I drank too much.”

He denied then, just as on Sunday, that recreational drugs were the real issue. The problem with the PGA Tour and their obsession with protecting a brand is that bans for these substances are never publicised. Hence, rightly or wrongly, breaks such as Johnson took to address what he termed “personal challenges” are viewed with the deepest of suspicion. The Tour needs a rethink of this stance, as it is proving counter-productive.

When pressed on why he wasn’t particularly forthcoming about what his hiatus from competitive golf entailed – aside from becoming a father – Johnson adopted a defensive stance once more. “It’s personal. And, frankly, it is not anybody’s business.”

Johnson is in position to further alter the narrative around him. His game is perfect for Augusta National, with a high-ball flight and ability to move the ball from right to left at will. He has been in position to prevail at major championships before; the most recent Open and the same event in 2011 spring immediately to mind, during which rash swings or decisions in the latter stages have cost Johnson dearly. On both occasions, it was rightly pronounced that the talent of Johnson, added to the mindset of a McIlroy, would constitute a formidable golfing force. And still, in three out of four majors, Johnson has recorded top five finishes. “I like tough golf courses,” Johnson says. “I generally really play pretty well on tough courses. So going into Augusta, it’s just another tough course, and I feel like my game is definitely suited for there. It’s always fit my eye really well. I just haven’t played great around there but I love it.

“I feel really confident in my golf swing. I feel like I’m swinging it really well. I need to do some work with the putter and short game, especially leading into Augusta.

“But I feel like the swing is really good, and at Augusta, you’ve really got to hit quality iron shots, control your ball, control the distance and I think I did that really well at Doral in tough conditions.”

There wasn’t actually anything Johnson did badly. The crucial part is his next step; if it is meaningfully forward by virtue of a realisation of what can really be achieved, McIlroy will have a new pretender.

He may even welcome that.