Latest news with #rcw
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Back after first major win, Johnson again seeks top form at Oakmont
Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson signs autographs for fans during a practice session ahead of the 125th US Open at Oakmont, where he won his first major crown in 2016 (Warren Little) Nine years after capturing his first major victory at Oakmont, Dustin Johnson returns to the formidable layout trying to recapture the form that made him so special back in 2016. The 40-year-old American, who also won the 2020 Masters, called Oakmont the hardest course he has played on Monday but says his 2016 US Open victory boosts his hopes when the 125th US Open begins Thursday. Advertisement "I have confidence in this golf course because I know I played well," he said. "This week puts a lot of pressure on the driver. I feel like I'm driving the ball really good right now. "You definitely have to hit it in the fairway if you want a chance to win around here." Johnson finished on four-under 276 for a three-shot victory in 2016, solving the iconic course by avoiding its dense rough. "I drove it really straight. I hit a lot of fairways. That was the only reason I shot that well," Johnson said. ""Seems like it's tougher this time around, but that's just maybe with the little bit of added length." Advertisement Johnson has won at least once in each of the past six years and three times in three years since jumping from the PGA Tour to Saudi-backed LIV Golf. But he hasn't won since 2024 in Las Vegas. "I don't feel like I've slipped any. My scores haven't reflected, but it is a really fine line," Johnson said. "For me it's always really close to being good, but just getting back there and keeping it consistent. Over the last couple months I'm starting to see a lot of patterns and the game feels like it's coming back into good form." Johnson said he doesn't see more pressure to perform well in majors because he plays in LIV Golf, where a lack of world ranking points limits potential qualifying for majors. Advertisement "Not really. It's still a major. It's still the same amount of pressure no matter where you're playing," Johnson said. "I'm looking forward to playing in it this week and hopefully can contend." This week marks only the second time Johnson has returned to Oakmont since his debut major win, the other occasion being to accept an honorary membership in the club. "I'm probably their favorite member because I never come," Johnson said. "It's really nice to be back. The course is just as hard as I remember, if not harder. I like coming back here. A lot of good memories from that year." js/rcw
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Johnson receives special invite to PGA Championship
Dustin Johnson has been handed a special invite to next week's PGA Championship (Harry How) LIV Golf's former world number one Dustin Johnson has been handed a special invite to next week's PGA Championship after losing his exemption to the field, it was confirmed on Tuesday. Johnson had previously been eligible to play in the PGA Championship due to his victory in the Masters in 2020 under rules that give a place in the tournament to the last five winners of the Masters. However that exemption expired following Rory McIlroy's victory last month at Augusta, where the 40-year-old Johnson missed the cut. Two-time major champion Johnson, whose world ranking has plummeted to 751 since joining LIV, is one of several players from the Saudi Arabia-financed circuit included in the field for the PGA Championship released on Tuesday. Other LIV players lining up for the tournament at Quail Hollow in North Carolina include Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. The PGA Championship, the second major of the season, takes place from May 15-18. rcw/jc
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Johnson receives special invite to PGA Championship
Dustin Johnson has been handed a special invite to next week's PGA Championship (Harry How) LIV Golf's former world number one Dustin Johnson has been handed a special invite to next week's PGA Championship after losing his exemption to the field, it was confirmed on Tuesday. Johnson had previously been eligible to play in the PGA Championship due to his victory in the Masters in 2020 under rules that give a place in the tournament to the last five winners of the Masters. Advertisement However that exemption expired following Rory McIlroy's victory last month at Augusta, where the 40-year-old Johnson missed the cut. Two-time major champion Johnson, whose world ranking has plummeted to 751 since joining LIV, is one of several players from the Saudi Arabia-financed circuit included in the field for the PGA Championship released on Tuesday. Other LIV players lining up for the tournament at Quail Hollow in North Carolina include Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. The PGA Championship, the second major of the season, takes place from May 15-18. rcw/jc
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
American Noh captures Founders Cup for first LPGA victory
Yealimi Noh captured her first LPGA title on Sunday, outdueling South Korean Ko Jin-young down the final holes to win the Founders Cup by four strokes. Noh, a 23-year-old American, fired a three-under-par 68 to finish on 21-under 263 after 72 holes at Florida's Bradenton Country Club. "This means so much to me," Noh said. "I've worked really hard the past few years and I went through a lot of struggles. "I really told myself that 2025 is going to be my year so this is the best way to start it." Three-time Founders Cup winner Ko, a two-time major champion, stumbled with three bogeys in the last six holes to shoot 71 and settle for second on 267 with American Megan Khang third on 268 after firing 68. Noh's best prior LPGA finishes in six seasons were runner-up efforts in 2019 at Portland and 2020 at the Volunteers of America Classic. "I've been in contention a couple of times and told myself I could do it but this is the first time I got it done," Noh said. "This is a really big confidence booster for me for the rest of the year." Noh credited her improved game to a change last year to a broomstick putter. "Switching to the broomstick helped me so much," Noh said. "I was really struggling with my putting. Switching to the broomstick, that just gave me back my confidence." Noh birdied the par-4 second and followed with 10 consecutive pars before making back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14. World number 11 Ko, meanwhile, had grabbed a one-stroke lead with birdies at the fourth and par-5 sixth and eighth holes. But Ko made bogeys on 13, 14 and 16 to fall four adrift of Noh. Noh found a greenside bunker at the par-5 17th but saved par and tapped in to par 18 to close the triumph. Australia's Hannah Green shared fourth on 271 with South Korean Im Jin-hee and Japan's Miyu Yamashita. Top-ranked Nelly Korda, who won last year here on her hometown course, shared seventh on 272 with France's Celine Boutier and Japan's Minami Katsu. js/rcw
