DJ reclaims top spot in extraordinary style
Dustin Johnson had only relinquished the No.1 spot just four weeks ago to Justin Thomas, but he’s back on top of the world again as he put in a dominant performance, capped with a sensational walk-off eagle, to win the FedEx St Jude Classic at TPC Southwind.
Starting the day tied with Andrew Putnam, Johnson immediately took the outright lead when Putnam double-bogeyed the opening hole.
Johnson birdied the par-5 3rd but gave it back two holes later with a bogey. From that point on, it was solid stuff from the 33-year-old, who headed to the 18th tee with a four-shot lead.
With 169 yards remaining in the right intermediate rough, Johnson launched a high, fading iron right down the pin. The ball landed a few feet short and trickled into the right-hand side of the cup for an incredible eagle to seal the win.
The exclamation point on the victory!@DJohnsonPGA wins the @fesjcmemphis with a walk-off eagle on 18.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/HKkthusswe
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
It’s Johnson’s second title of the season, and his first since the opening week of the year when demolishing the field in Hawaii at the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
Let’s just hope that Johnson isn’t aware that no player has ever won the US Open and won the week before…
Full FedEx St Jude Classic leaderboard
Best quote
Johnson:
What a cool way to end the day. A lot of good things happened this week. It feels like it’s been a long time even though it’s only been six months. I’m really looking forward to going into next week.
"What a cool way to end the day." pic.twitter.com/1R1KV3OpM6
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
Best moments
A small detour en route to another birdie.@DJohnsonPGA leads by 4 with 2 holes left.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/goJV0Egpzk
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
Good view.
Good drive.
Good fan.Good is good. #LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/AWk4pX1yYU
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
.@DJohnsonPGA dials it in at the 13th.
He holds a 3-shot lead with 5 holes to play.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/tIHjoZxrEj
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
Pure.@DJohnsonPGA holds a 2-shot lead with 6 holes to play. pic.twitter.com/1L0BiVr15n
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
Just your standard 307-yard drive with an iron.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/H7e8ti7tf4
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
Meet Millie the course dog.
She’s a good listener.
Millie’s a good girl.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/n7lDNSCFi3
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 10, 2018
Best stats
No player has ever won the U.S. Open the week after winning on the PGA Tour. The closest: Arnold Palmer finishing runner-up in 1963 at Brookline.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) June 10, 2018
Dustin Johnson will move back to number 1 in the world heading to the U.S. Open. Since the inception of the OWGR in 1986, the number 1 player has won the U.S. Open 3 times: Tiger in 2000, Tiger in 2002 and Tiger in 2008.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) June 10, 2018
Most PGA Tour wins since 2008:
Dustin Johnson – 18
Tiger Woods – 18
Rory McIlroy – 14— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) June 10, 2018
What’s in DJ’s bag at the PGA Championship?
‘It will be like playing in a major – but obviously with the guys’
Final St Jude Classic leaderboard
Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
