The American Dustin Johnson, unperturbed on Sunday, regained his place of world No. 1, after his victory over the Northern Trust, the first leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs, finishing at the end of the last round with 11 kicks. ahead of his first pursuer Harris English.

Dustin Johnson finally adds FedExCup to his list

Dustin Johnson - © PGA Tour

When Dustin Johnson left East Lake last year, after finishing in last place, he was heading to an operating table. This time he is leaving with his first FedExCup, one of the rare achievements that was still missing from his record worthy of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Yet this season has been anything but successful for Dustin Johnson who had surgery on his left knee less than two weeks after last year's TOUR Championship and did not play until the Presidents Cup in December. He only made four starts before the season was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Even after his first win of the season, he carded 80-80 in the Memorial Tournament.

"I have never seen him so lost", said Justin Thomas, who performed with him that week.

Dustin Johnson is known for his ability to recover from tough setbacks. This is undoubtedly why he is the indisputable Champion of the 2020 season.

After finishing second to last at the Memorial and forfeiting the next start with a back injury, Johnson has put in an incredible performance in his last four starts.

The American finished the season with two wins and two second places. He was the leader on 54 holes in all four events. Only two 64s - from Collin Morikawa at the PGA and Jon Rahm at the BMW Championship - and two of the most incredible shots of the season were able to stop Johnson in that home stretch.

Dustin Johnson had the second lowest score in PGA TOUR history winning the NORTHERN TRUST with an 11-point lead, and the TOUR Championship to eventually claim the FedExCup after qualifying for East Lake in each. of the last 12 seasons.

"Being a FedExCup champion is something I really wanted", did he declare. “I wanted to hold this trophy in hand at the end of the day. It was something that I wanted to accomplish in my career. "

Johnson took a five-stroke lead on the final round of the season, but his lead was only two of the returning nine. It was then that he chained a series of blows that allowed him to keep distance from his closest competitors.

First, he landed a 6,4m putt for the par on the 13, then a pair of 5 irons within 4,5m on the 14 and 15.

Arriving at East Lake's scariest hole, an island green (par-3) over 210 yards, he finds himself in a bunker and comes out of it with a superb sand wedge to the green. to do par. stating that this last move was the best of all.

"With a five-stroke lead today, that's something I had to complete", did he declare.

Johnson made eight consecutive pars of the returning nine before a birdie on the last hole. On Monday, he carded 68 to win by three points.

Johnson is now world No. 1 again with three wins this season - he also won the Travelers Championship in June - tying Thomas' TOUR record this season. Johnson was also runner-up in the season's only major.

He is the favorite to be voted PGA TOUR Player of the Year by his peers. If he is, he will join an exclusive club. Only Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth won the FedExCup, finishing the season at the top of the world rankings and were voted PGA TOUR Player of the Year in the same season.

Woods did it in 2007 and 2009. Spieth did it in 2015, the same season he flirted with the Grand Slam.

What difference can a year make?

Johnson couldn't beat anyone at the end of last season because of his sore left knee. He finished ahead of just 12 players at the BMW Championship, then posted the best score at East Lake by three strokes.

After the operation and the interruption of the season, he had to undergo an MRI on his left knee after the first return event, the Charles Schwab Challenge. He didn't reveal any damage, just a strain, but it was the latest in a series of frustrations for the ex-world number one.

Due to his injuries, Dustin Johnson had been eclipsed by his training mate Brooks Koepka and Rory McIlroy's charisma and consistency over the past two years.

"It is obvious that I am playing very well now"said Dustin Johnson. “I feel like I can still play better. "

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To read our last article on the same subject :

Dustin Johnson takes control of the Tour Championship