Leaving ‘Em in the ‘Dust - in’ Monterey…Again

For 25 year old Dustin Johnson, Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey California is more than just picturesque views and breathtaking scenery, it is his personal winner’s circle. In 2009 ‘DJ’ won the 54-hole rain shortened AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and as a defender in 2010, he captured some of that same magic. With his mammoth drives and iron shots Johnson skated around Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hills, and Monterey Peninsula courses to the tune of 18 under par thru three rounds. But in the end it was clutch putting that led to him kissing the crystal trophy on Valentine’s Day.

As the final round began, DJ and Tour veteran and good guy Paul Goydos shared an impressive 4-shot lead over big hitting JB Holmes and old collegiate sensation Bryce Molder. Johnson continued his onslaught of Pebble with eagle at the par 5 sixth, but as they turned home things began to tighten up. A few bogeys from DJ gave Goydos the lead and opened the door to the rest of the field including 2001 World Number One David Duval. And then the 14th hole happened and changed the entire outlook of the tournament.

Always known as one of the most difficult par 5’s on tour the 14th at Pebble winds thru the pines and has the trickiest green on the course, and it showed its bite on Sunday. Duval started the struggle with a three-putt bogey, but that was nothing. Goydos and Johnson stood in the fairway as they witnessed Molder chip it back to his feet twice in-route to a quadruple bogey nine taking him straight out of contention. Not to be outdone in futility, Goydos chipped over, around, and thru the 14th green resulting in a matching nine removing him from contention and making it a three horse race.

Duval was first to post 15 under par and waited patiently for the surging Holmes and the leading Johnson. The first bullet was dodged for Duval, as the long-hitting Holmes was unable to birdie the par five finishing hole and posted a matching 15 under. But behind Holmes, DJ bogeyed the 17th to fall into a 3-way tie for the lead, but bounced back with a blistering drive down the middle of the 18th fairway. As Johnson reached the greenside bunker in two, Duval’s best chance to win was to hope DJ would not get up and down and force a 3-man playoff. Johnson put it inside 3 feet out of the trap and cleaned it up to secure his second straight win at Pebble.

For Duval, although he didn’t win, it is just further confirmation that he is on his way back. I don’t imagine he will ever duplicate his success in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, but with his runner-up performances at Pebble and Bethpage in the 2009 US Open he has made himself re-known. That 2nd in the Open has even gotten him invites to all the majors, including another crack at a green jacket. As for Johnson, this win has affirmed that he is one of the most exciting young players on Tour. He has ascended to 23rd in the World Rankings and seems to be picking up steam. A major may be in his future, and it could be sooner than we think as the 2010 US Open will be at a place he’s pretty darn familiar with…Pebble Beach.