Once again it was the Dustin Johnson Show.
This time the world’s No. 1 made his first stand at the top of the pack and he ended up as the Leader Of The Pack Sunday at the WGC-Mexico.
Johnson put together a fast and furious front nine at the Club de Golf Chapultepec then held on down the stretch for pick up his fourth victory in a WGC event and his second straight win on the PGA Tour this season.
“It means a lot,” said Johnson, who trailed overnight leader Justin Thomas going into Sunday’s final 18. “I came on and played really well. I played just well enough because I won by one. I didn’t putt my best this week but otherwise I played really well.”
Johnson played his best early and shot four-under on the front nine and got it to 15-under par and took a four-shot lead into the final nine. But back-to-back bogeys opened the door for some challengers, mainly Jon Rahm. Rahm birdied the 15th and got to 14-under par and tied Johnson, briefly. Rahm blew his hopes for victory with back-to-back three-putt greens at the 16th and 17th holes, allowing Johnson’s lead to grow to two shots.
Brit Tommy Fleetwood from the European Tour dropped a bomb of a putt from nearly 40 feet out at the 18th to break out of the pack at 12-under and steal second place alone at 13-under par.
Johnson displayed all the cool he has displayed lately. At the final hole his tee shot found a fairway bunker but he hit a sweet second from an awkward stance to within 20 feet to seal the win.
Thomas eventually finished tied for fifth after his one-over par 72 left him at 11-under.
Rory McIlroy’s return to golf resulted in a tie for seventh. He and Phil Mickelson failed to mount any Sunday charge and both shot 71s to finish at 10-under par.
4 Comments
beege
My Phil prediction remains intact. He got lucky getting a great relief break that I am pretty certain not every PGA Tour player would have received–maybe I am wrong but……………..maybe I am correct…..(no punishment for stock escapade) either way I am right so far and some people who doubted me are joining me in that a man his age and desperate desire to win again, against unbelievable competition will not make it happen.
Dustin is simply the best golfer on earth.
Tom Edrington
You are right about it getting harder and harder to win and the young talent is strong. Love the Thomas Pieters kid from Europe. As for Phil, hope springs eternal!
jimtex
Good article, I refused to watch since they moved it from Doral. They could not have moved it to a more corrupt country on the continent. While I don’t admonish people for becoming wealthy and how they spend their money I would be critical of how they go about making it. This is an obvious “look the other way” to expand into the mexican market, Expansion is good but how you go about it is important. Living near the border I see how the corruption, drugs, human trafficking has decimated this country of haves/have nots. Its a sad state of affairs and while I think the PGA should stay out of politics you can tell a lot about someone by the company they keep.
Tom Edrington
Well said jimtex, I couldn’t agree more!