Dustin Johnson Tied for the Lead, Then Blew It: His US Open Exemption Is On the Line
Whoa, hold up! Dustin Johnson, the DJ we all remember from a decade ago, just went on a WILD ride at the U.S. Open yesterday. For a few glorious holes, he was absolutely dialed in, tying for the lead! But then, because golf is golf, things went sideways faster than a missed fairway. We're talking a "golden hour" of golf, followed by a brutal drop that left him four shots back from Wyndham Clark before darkness suspended play. What a twist for the guy!
The Wild Ride: From Tied for First to Four Back
Dude was on fire! DJ, captain of LIV Golf's Aces, strung together four straight birdies. He was hitting monster drives, 403 and 330 yards, for his third and fourth birdies. Paired with Clark, they were feeding off each other's energy. He tied Clark at 4-under par after the fourth green, nailing his first 11 fairways. You could feel the buzz, like, is DJ back?!
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Then came the gut punch. On the par-5 fifth, he was pin high in just two shots. Prime opportunity, right? But a middling chip and a missed 7-foot putt meant no fifth straight birdie. Clark, of course, made eagle there. And just like that, the momentum shifted. On the very next hole, No. 6, DJ missed his first fairway of the day, then three-putted for a sloppy double-bogey. Boom! Suddenly he's four shots behind Clark. The round was suspended due to darkness, leaving DJ in a seven-way tie for second. He's got three holes left to finish Friday, starting with a 3 1/2-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 seventh. Every shot is gonna matter.
This showing, even with the stumble, puts DJ in the mix in a major for the first time in at least three years. The timing? Critical. His 10-year exemption to the U.S. Open, earned from his 2016 Oakmont win, expires this year. Talk about pressure! This is the former world number one, who held that spot for 135 weeks and won the COVID-delayed 2020 Masters. But since leaving the PGA Tour for a reported nine-figure LIV deal, it's been rough for the 41-year-old. Other LIV guys like Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau have snagged majors, but DJ's been an afterthought, missing six cuts in 14 majors. His best finish was a T10 at the 2023 U.S. Open. He hadn't led a major round since 2020. Coming into this week as a 200-1 long shot, we've seen him melt down before, like that 2015 three-putt at Chambers Bay. Is history repeating itself?
So, here we go, Friday morning. DJ steps up to that 3 1/2-foot putt. Will he sink it and build some momentum, or will the early round struggles define his tournament? His U.S. Open future is literally on the line, and every single shot matters more than ever. This is must-watch golf, Seattle!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.