WATCH: Dustin Johnson Makes Birdie After Shank At LIV Golf Andalucia
DJ gave club golfers around the world something to smile about, as he shanked his approach on the 17th at Valderrama
Dustin Johnson is known for being one of the best ball strikers on the planet, with the American claiming multiple professional titles over a number of decades and Tours. However, at LIV Golf Andalucia, we saw something which we aren't used to seeing, as Johnson in fact shanked his second shot at the par 5 17th!
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Starting the second round on Saturday, Johnson was in a share of the lead with Jason Kokrak but, after bogeying the opening hole, a run of pars would lead to yet another bogey at the sixth which put him two-over for his round.
Throughout the day, it was clear that Johnson had been struggling slightly with his long game, with DJ heading straight to the range following the conclusion of his round. It was the putter that had saved him on multiple occasions at Valderrama and, after holing a birdie putt at the par 4 eighth, he somehow turned in one-over-par.
Another birdie followed at the par 5 11th, but yet another bogey at the 13th put him back to level. DJ wasn't giving up though and, following a birdie at the 16th, he found the fairway safely at the iconic par 5 17th. Then though, came the relatable moment that even a club golfer would be smirking about.
Striking a 7-iron, the ball hit the hosel of the club and headed straight right into the spectators at the side of the hole. Luckily, for the 39-year-old, his golf ball finished just shy of the shrubbery surrounding the course and, as a result, he was able to play a third with no real issue.
The American, though, failed to find the green but that didn't really matter as he then struck a putt that never left the hole, eventually dropping for a birdie that even caused Johnson to give out a rare smile.
Although he would go on to bogey the final hole, a level-par round of 70 was certainly a good score considering the ball-striking from DJ. Sitting at four-under for the tournament, he is five shots back of Crushers GC Captain, Bryson DeChambeau, who fired an incredible round of 63 to sit one shot ahead of Talor Gooch.
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Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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