But as is his norm, he refused to feel any pressure and had a stretch where he birdied 4 of 5 holes to get him into a playoff.
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Asked how he deals with performing below his own expectations, Woods said he now spends more time with his family. There was that DUI (driving under the influence) charge in 2009.
Johnson, more than anyone, is aware of how he could, possibly should, have blocked Spieth’s way.
RIVAL: Johnson fancies his chances [GETTY].
And that’s the just the off-the-course stuff.
However, Lee Trevino edged the Golden Bear by one stroke in the Open at Muirfield, and Nicklaus tied for 13th in the PGA at Oakland Hills. He lost a PGA Championship in 2010 at Whistling Straits by grounding his club in an 18th-hole hazard he wasn’t aware existed. Instead of playing off for the title, he finished T-5.
Jordan Spieth has won the Masters this season and followed that up by also winning the US Open and tees it up here a very short-priced favourite at around 6/1.
A three-shot overnight lead vaporised by the second hole, courtesy of a triple-bogey seven.
The big-hitting American has been close several times and at Chambers Bay four weeks ago he had the trophy in his grasp before agonisingly three-putting the final hole to hand the title to compatriot Jordan Spieth.
“If [Johnson] makes the [eagle] putt on the last green at Chambers Bay, then we’re talking about what the heck does Jordan Spieth need to do to bounce back?”
His decision was vindicated after a 10-under 61 in the third round, the best round of his US PGA Tour career, set up his second victory in the event via a play-off on Sunday and continued his incredible run of 2015 success.
“I don’t know if you watched the telecast, but I think pretty much everyone missed a lot of putts”, Johnson was saying here on Monday.
“It’s incredible…. Those names are the greatest that have ever played the game, and I don’t consider myself there”. I hit the shots I was supposed to hit.
“I think every situation you can learn from, they’re all learning opportunities”. It wasn’t too difficult to get over it.
“Only thing I’ve heard so far is that it’s (St Andrews) playing softer than usual”.
He was in Dublin again this past weekend, playing Royal Dublin and Portmarnock, a now-traditional part of his build-up to competing in the British Open, or, as he put it, “I just hung out with the boys and played a few golf”. I was trying to make it. If it went in, I wanted it to barely go in, and it still went four feet by. Johnson has shaken his head, shrugged his shoulders and moved on. He has only once been outside the top-14 in the last five Opens.
The Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland is one of the most recognizable in the world and is known as “the home of golf”. I will certainly have enough rest, and I will be as prepared as can be, as I am for any other event, by the time I tee it up at St Andrews. “It’s going take a tremendous amount of work and a lot of patience but I’ll get there eventually”.
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“I wouldn’t say I’ve found the solution – it’s a process, an evolution, making subtle shifts, fine tuning and getting the overall pattern different, and that takes time”.
