Opinion & Analysis
3 reasons why Dustin Johnson’s major collapse was worse than Van De Velde’s
After more than a decade and a half of agony, he’s finally off the hook. Jean Van De Velde’s 1999 Open Championship debacle at Carnoustie is no longer the biggest final-hole collapse in major championship history. That dubious distinction belongs to Dustin Johnson.
Yes, I know the Frenchman was three shots ahead standing on the final tee. Yes, I know Johnson was one shot behind on his last hole. It doesn’t matter.
Here’s why.
The Players
Coming into the 1999 Open Championship, Van De Velde was a decent player, but not a world-beater by any stretch, with just one European Tour win to date, more than six years prior to that fateful week. In four past Open Championships, his best finish was a tie for 34th. In other words, he was in completely uncharted territory. He had come out of nowhere to build a three-shot lead through 71 holes at Carnoustie.
Dustin Johnson came into this past week ranked seventh in the world. A proven winner, he was on the verge of making the U.S. Open his first major but his tenth PGA Tour victory—a slate that includes two World Golf Championships and two FedEx Cup Playoffs events. He is one of the elite talents in the game, so much so that whenever he is in contention, golf analysts gush about his athleticism, prodigious length off the tee and the relative ease with which he pulls off shots that many of his competitors simply cannot hit. Furthermore, he had real chances to win three prior majors, and players who keep knocking at the door tend to eventually burst through.
The Hole
Comparing the 18th hole at Carnoustie to its counterpart at Chambers Bay is a fool’s errand. The winding Barry Burn lurks off the tee and on the approach at the former. Nasty pot bunkers guard both sides of the narrow green. Disaster awaits anything less than two spectacular shots. It is perhaps the hardest hole on one of the hardest golf courses in the world.
Chambers Bay’s finisher, by contrast, is a birdie hole, complete with a green whose rear slope helped to funnel balls (including Johnson’s) close to the cup all day. Numerous players who hit tee shots into the left- or right-hand fairway bunkers found ways to make birdies on the hole. It was the second-easiest hole yesterday, and with his enormous tee shot and 253-yard 5-iron to 12 feet, setting up the presumptive winning eagle putt, Dustin Johnson had it figured out.
The Moment
To be sure, Van De Velde hacked it around Carnoustie’s 18th, making multiple mental and physical mistakes. But after pulling driver on the tee against everyone’s better judgment, and after rolling up his pants to contemplate trying to blast his ball out of Barry Burn before dropping, he found himself standing over a putt of about seven feet to force a playoff with Paul Lawrie and Justin Leonard. And he drained it.
Johnson, after the aforementioned two prodigious blows up Chambers Bay’s final hole, faced a putt of less than 13 feet. It was a slick downhiller, certainly, but after having the luxury of watching Jason Day putt along a similar line, he had no reason not to understand the swiftness of his eagle putt. And as bumpy as Chambers Bay’s greens had been all week, he had to know that giving that first putt a little extra speed would be unlikely to help keep it on line. But with all that information, he hit that putt hard enough to leave an uncomfortable putt over an inconsistent surface on a day when he had already missed numerous short-range putts. And missed. A 15-handicapper in a dollar-Nassau match against his or her buddies would know better than to risk entering that situation. For the No. 7-ranked golfer in the world, it’s utterly inexcusable and incomprehensible.
In 1999, Jean Van De Velde had a three-shot lead, but he was in uncharted territory on one of golf’s most fearsome holes. Dustin Johnson had to cover 13 feet in two putts to buy himself 18 more holes of one-on-one golf against Jordan Spieth, and he couldn’t manage it. That’s a bigger surprise – no doubt about it.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
RBC Heritage Tour Report: More minis, course-specific setups, Spider & GTS launches
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
Best fairway woods of 2026: The most versatile fairway woods + the most forgiving fairway woods
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
The 24 players who can win the Masters
Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB: 2026 Masters
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
J.J. Spaun’s winning WITB: 2026 Valero Texas Open
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Driver: Ping G440 Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft:...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2021 Truist Championship
Rory McIlroy’s victory at the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship 2021 (now the Truist Championship) marked a significant return to form,...
Collin Morikawa WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS (8 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Tour (14 degrees) Shaft:...
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
-
Equipment1 week agoWhat’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
-
Equipment2 weeks agoCadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
-
Whats in the Bag3 days ago
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
-
Whats in the Bag1 week agoCameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
-
Whats in the Bag3 weeks agoNelly Korda WITB 2026 (April)
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose on the switch to McLaren Golf, learnings from previous equipment moves
-
Tour Photo Galleries2 weeks agoPhotos from the 2026 Cadillac Championship
Tom Allinder
Aug 20, 2015 at 8:07 am
From a writer’s point of view, Tim’s article is hugely successful! 96 comments… 97 now counting mine. The mission of the writer is to create ENGAGEMENT. Mission accomplished.
As far as the content? To me, both Van De Velde collapse as well as DJ’s were stunning. I would still have to say Van De Velde’s was the biggest. I just wanted to reach through the TV screen and grab him by the shoulders and shake him and tell him, “Put it back in the #%(&!@+ FAIRWAY! a 6 wins!”
DJ said in an interview at the PGA Championship that the 4 ft putt just didn’t “bounce in”. He removed some of the responsibility by blaming it on the greens.
And, regarding DJ, I do have to wonder if he has some scar tissue now. He ran out to the lead at the halfway point of the Open Championship and then struggled the last 36 holes. At the PGA, he lead after one round and then disappeared. The 69 in the last round with an 8 on the first hole was remarkable though.
8thehardway
Jul 2, 2015 at 12:06 am
Jean’s flaw was arrogance. Just winning wasn’t enough, his pride demanded he do it in style. Winning would have elevated the spirit of his countrymen, who had suffered a one-hundred year drought of Open Championships and as he approached the final 487-yard hole Jean knew in return for slaking their nationalistic thirst his compatriots would make him a hero and stand him to drinks for the rest of his life… and even that was not enough.
It was as if he wanted that final hole to make amends for six years without a win and believed he risked nothing by burdening his talent with such a goal; and so, in service to a petty preoccupation with a small blemish on what would have been a crowning achievement in his career and his country Jean unleashed such magnificent mismanagement it is still written about.
Here’s the most you can say about putting…
“I miss, I miss, I miss, I make.” Seve Ballesteros on his four-putt from 15 feet on the 16th green of the 1988 Masters.
leo
Jun 29, 2015 at 5:03 pm
not even close you reference a 15 hdcp in the article when a 15 could have won with van de veldes lead just hit 3 wedges and 3 putt to win even if dustin 2 putts he still would have had to win the playoff
Davide Mattucci
Jun 28, 2015 at 1:00 pm
Joke of an article… Feeble attempt at comparing these… As evidenced by just about all the comments. DJ parred the last hole and executed shots VDV would have shat his pants trying to hit in his mental state during his melt down. Not sure. What the point of this piece was… Glad to see it in the shank leaderboard…
Toad37
Jun 25, 2015 at 4:10 pm
Way to kick a guy when he is down.
Jeff Kinney
Jun 24, 2015 at 6:51 pm
You’re a complete idiot. Johnson’s putt was downhill, and it was pretty obvious that if he missed the eagle putt it was going to be 4-5 feet by the hole. I think he was unlucky that his ball didn’t come back down the hill to a place near where Spieth putted for eagle, which was an uphill putt that he was able to leave within inches.
Bob Jones
Jun 24, 2015 at 4:50 pm
Three-putting from 12 feet is inexcusable for me to do. For one of the best golfers in the world to do that, on the verge of winning the most difficult tournament in the world, there are no words. Just cozy it down there and give it a chance to go in. If it doesn’t, tap in your 6-incher and head to the playoff. I just think that D doesn’t have the head for big moments like this. This is definitely an all-time fonebone.
talljohn777
Jun 24, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Dustin Johnson – The worst Par in history.
kn
Jun 24, 2015 at 2:58 pm
Horrible article. Tragic attempt to compare/connect two very different events and people. Freaking heartless ambulance chaser.
Steven Thomas
Jun 24, 2015 at 12:32 pm
This has to rank as one of the worst golf articles ever written. Hey Tim, did you have “writers block” and this is the only thing you could come up with?
BigJerm
Jun 24, 2015 at 12:11 pm
This ranks right up there with the ridiculous “Why does everyone hate Rickie Fowler” article. Trolling for controversy/comments. This is the equivalent of race-baiting for golf. Does Al Sharpton have a side gig writing for GolfWRX now?
DJ and Van De Velde’s final holes are not even in the same ball park.
Jeff C
Jun 24, 2015 at 12:05 pm
This article should be deleted asap to prevent the author from further humiliation.
John Krug
Jun 24, 2015 at 11:33 am
This has to rank among the stupidest articles on golf ever written.
sullytf
Jun 24, 2015 at 10:01 am
Van de Velde’s choke was worse by the length of a par 5. 3 shot lead with one to play, and you do that?? He had one chance at golf immortality during the Tiger era and he crapped the bed. I was amazed he made the putt to get in the playoff.
Zubair
Jun 24, 2015 at 6:48 am
Easily the worst golf article (not tiger-based) I’ve ever read. This website along with golf channel are bringing shame to the golfing community. TMZ and social media has killed good journalism.
Comparing him to Van De Velde is so absurd, I could write an essay about how wrong you are. Majority of people feel for DJ, because every player can relate to a missed 4 footer when we needed a make. The guy hit a 5-iron 245 to 12 feet, you’re comparing him to sniping all over the place Jean VDV. You’re crazy.
Bob Jones
Jun 24, 2015 at 4:52 pm
Most world-class golfers, though, wouldn’t have a 4-foot comebacker if they started from 12 feet.
Zubair
Jun 25, 2015 at 11:02 am
You clearly didn’t watch the putting woes those world class golfers faced all week at Chambers. That putt was lightning fast, majority would have went a bit long on that putt, 4 feet is on the high end I admit. However all that we have to realize is that every great player has missed a 4 footer that they needed at some point in their career, DJ’s was just unfortunately on the world’s biggest stage. We can all relate, but many choose to hate. The path is yours. I’ll relate.
John
Jun 23, 2015 at 8:10 pm
This has got to be one of the worst articles ever written. DJ was 3 back with 3 to play. Van De Velde was 2 up with 1 to play. Tim Gavrich really shouldn’t be writing for your site.
Rich
Jun 23, 2015 at 5:49 pm
What a stupid article. This website is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one. Now I know why I don’t frequent this site as often as I used to. It’s because they publish rubbish.
Rich
Jun 23, 2015 at 4:12 pm
Mickelson’s gag at Winged Foot in 2006 is worse than both of these combined.
John
Jun 23, 2015 at 8:12 pm
What about Monty’s gag there? He made double on that last hole too to give it away.
Karl
Jun 23, 2015 at 11:58 pm
Wrong! Phil was having a terrible ball striking day and had to scrape out pars with his short game. Hitting a wild drive on 18 on a tough golf hole was not that big of a surprise. Bones backed this up in a recent interview about Phil’s most disappointing US Open runner up finishes. Winged Foot was not in the top three for the reason that I mentioned. Bones said it was a miracle he was in that position as inconsistently as he was striking the ball all day.
Dick
Jun 23, 2015 at 2:24 pm
Haters gonna hate…
Dan
Jun 23, 2015 at 11:34 am
Ok, is it just me, am I the only one who feels that there was 100,000,000 plus reasons for DJ to 3 putt? It’s easy math, if Taylor Made sold just 1,000,000 clubs at $430, that’s $430,000,000. If it sold two million clubs that $860,000,000. Take care of your sponsor and you may just get that $100,000,000 five year endorsement. Thats vs 1.8 million to win the US Open. What corporation in its right mind would give back that type of gross revenue.
digsnola
Jun 23, 2015 at 8:25 pm
The free driver promotion was sponsored by PGA Tour Superstores for new-line drivers purchased at one of their 23 stores between May 18th and June 17th. Similar to hole in one insurance, the premium paid is subject to promotion period (31 days), estimated units sold (<3000), and odds of DJ winning (18 to 1). So figure $1M in sales divided by 18 times a 30% markup for the insurer and the premium is about $75,000. It was probably partially subsidized by TM and its $75M global marketing budget.
nathan
Jun 23, 2015 at 11:19 am
As soon as i saw that 12 footer go past I knew everybody was racing off to write of another ‘DJ collapse’
Struggling with your putting all day and shooting level par is not a collapse
Giving a 12 footer for eagle and the win a go and missing, is not a collapse
Making par on the last is not a collapse
Mat
Jun 23, 2015 at 9:33 am
#clickbait
Ironhorse723
Jun 23, 2015 at 9:13 am
This article should have been stopped at the lead editor before it was published. This makes no sense, wow!
MW
Jun 23, 2015 at 9:12 am
What a terrible article! It looks like someone who is trying too hard to make a name for himself by writing something that’s going to stir up controversy instead of someone who actually thought before they spewed out meaningless dribble. The very fact that Johnson was behind when he teed off on 18 and Van De Velde was ahead by three makes this article moot. DJ hit a huge drive and then an even more impressive iron from 247 yards to a green where you had to play the banks like a pool table. The fact that he even had a putt at winning was amazing, and even though he did blow the putt to tie, it was not a major collapse of any sort. Tim needs to go back to trying to break 90 to see if he can even appreciate a smidgen of what real pressure is really like.
other paul
Jun 23, 2015 at 9:02 am
I bet this guy was walking around the office and thought he needed to write a story to get his name out there. So he decided to write a story that would piss people off. It worked.
Oscar
Jun 23, 2015 at 6:03 am
I agree with some other comments- DJ lost the title when he made several (was it 4?) soft bogeys in a row. A Spieth would never do that- witness Jordan’s steely response after an even softer double bogey to let everyone else back in the tournament after Grace’s OB seemingly had gifted it to him.
I think DJ already lost one Major like that- he had the lead, made an early double bogey after some bone-headed, Van De Velde-like, decisions and then just went downhill from there instead of steadying the ship and allowing others to collapse for a change.
Billy
Jun 23, 2015 at 4:56 am
Thanx Tim who never 3 putted, acually never heard of Tim.
Jake Anderson
Jun 23, 2015 at 4:43 am
Jean Van de Veldes heartbreak was a lot worse, because the Open is a bigger championship than the USGA’s Open Tournament. Also, people like Mr. Van de Veldes a lot more than the player Johnson.
Spin
Jun 23, 2015 at 3:38 am
VDV’s was MUCH worse! That would be about his only chance to win a Major in his entire career. DJ has loads more chances. He’s not too worried. He’ll learn from this. Remember Phil’s wait to get his first? Phil made plenty of blunders, but he knew if he stuck with it he would have a few. VDV blew his only chance, and it really WAS his only chance, so his collapse was way worse. You’ve got it all bass-ackwards, my friend.
Carl
Jun 23, 2015 at 12:39 am
I think Tim knows all of this, he just needed you to click and comment
DDog
Jun 23, 2015 at 12:32 am
Poor comparison. Needed birdie to tie and due to 2 awesome shots had a chance to snatch a win, that is no choke or collapse.
He then had to navigate what appeared to be the worst greens ever.
Not sure why you’d even write such garbage. Agree with the “sensationalist journalism” reference if you could call it that..
I'm Ron Burgundy??
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:33 pm
I’m in a glass case of emotions!
golfiend
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:55 pm
this article is the equivalent of a shank … mickelson, watson, etc had some bad final 18th hole too. very contrived article.
Jm
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:45 pm
Birdied 17 then absolutely annihilated a driver on 18. Proceeds to hit it 12 feet and then he hits his first putt a little too hard and missed a four footer on the worst greens I have seen on tour and you compare that to van de veldes comedy of errors?!?! Worst golf article I have read
harrold
Jun 22, 2015 at 6:43 pm
Such a poor article how on earth you can discredit his tee shot on 17 and two shots into 18 which were 3 of the best all day on those holes is just ridiculous. Yes he missed a putt but he was doing that all day, he wouldn’t have had a chance at all if it wasn’t for his 3 shots to set it up.
Ron
Jun 22, 2015 at 6:37 pm
Are you serious? You compare a three putt on those terrible greens to that disaster? Gosh I must of missed the part where Dustin took his shoes off and jumped in the water and tried to kill a snake….
Stick to playing, not writing.
Matto
Jun 22, 2015 at 6:30 pm
Should DJ not get some kudos for having a crack at the eagle to win? Not just lagging for the chance at a playoff?
You do remember that the missed 3footer was to tie don’t you, not the win? Comparing these 2 is SO far off the mark.
RobF
Jun 22, 2015 at 6:22 pm
Dustin really didn’t’ putt well yesterday. And the excuse of how bad the greens were and the course was is just getting old. All players had to play the same course.
John
Jun 22, 2015 at 6:16 pm
DJ didn’t lose the tournament/not get into a playoff on the 18th, he lost it because of that poor 4 hole stretch on the back nine. He made a great birdie on the 17th and played the 18th very well apart from that birdie putt.
Dustin didn’t collapse on the last hole, it simply looks that way because it was the last hole which makes it look worse than it was, think about any 4 day tournament and a player will miss the odd 3 footer, if he does that on the 4th hole on Friday no one really pays attention, if he does it on the 18th on Sunday, he’s a choker, the situation changes everything.
Gautama
Jun 23, 2015 at 12:22 pm
Exactly – not sure what tournament some people were watching, but this is exactly how I saw it too.
Not sure it needs to be said again, but good lord what a ridiculous article this was, was he kidding?
me
Jun 24, 2015 at 12:38 pm
The missed eagle was excusable due to the sheer difficulty of the downhill breaker he had. But a true champion is going to find a way to grind it out and make that 3 footer. Doesn’t matter what he did on the previous 71 holes.
Gorden
Jun 22, 2015 at 5:49 pm
We would be watching the playoff this afternoon had Dustin just let Jason mark his ball…Dustin would have known not to go past Jason’s mark so he would have a read if in fact he missed his first one. I would agree Van De Velde did choke a bit more.
devilsadvocate
Jun 23, 2015 at 5:20 am
Uh no incorrect… The fact that there is a mark on the other side of the hole means nothing… Day should have finished out exactly as he did… Imagine trying to make that 3 footer right after dj holed that eagle putt…
Carl
Jun 22, 2015 at 5:07 pm
Tim you are either really slow or you are desperate for clicks, maybe both
Matto
Jun 22, 2015 at 5:51 pm
+100
Eric
Jun 23, 2015 at 11:14 am
He’s getting lots of clicks… On the “Shank” button!
John Shepherd
Jun 22, 2015 at 3:55 pm
Comparing those two completely different events is terrible. Dustin made an incredible birdie to get in contention to make one at the last, he then hit two awesome shots. The first putt was in a very fast area, not some easy putt. Second one was pushed enough said. To it is a miss not a COLLAPSE this article is ridiculous.
Christosterone
Jun 22, 2015 at 3:51 pm
Doug Sanders?!?!?
He had a 2 footer for the Open Championship which was a completely flat putt…
devilsadvocate
Jun 23, 2015 at 5:22 am
Actually it was a breaking putt but it was still 2 ft
Dunce
Jun 22, 2015 at 2:26 pm
I’m going to agree with this article actually, I think the majority of people on this board could 2 putt from 12 feet downhill, then again most of us could easily put up a 7 or worse on 18 at Carnoustie
Jay
Jun 22, 2015 at 1:32 pm
This is by far the WORST article I have ever read on WRX….hands down
Steve
Jun 22, 2015 at 1:19 pm
does this site read the article before they publish it on the site. It is clear they need content of any level, but this is the bottom.
Justin
Jun 22, 2015 at 1:09 pm
wow! WRX writers are getting close to sensationalist journalism – such a joke article. How can you compare DJ’s situation to Jean Van De Velde’s 1999 Open Championship debacle? want to get comments, write articles like this.
unreal article!
Billy Who
Jun 22, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Ha this is great:
https://twitter.com/BillyWhoschel
larrybud
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:45 pm
This article is hilarious. To think that a single missed putt (for a TIE, by the way) is not only equivalent, but worse than blowing a 3 shot lead which was mistake compounded upon mistake, is ludicrous.
Even if he two putted (because you’re not saying the 12 footer was a choke job, right?) he probably had a 50/50 shot against Spieth.
brian d
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:34 pm
I respect the fact he went of the win.
Mat
Jun 22, 2015 at 6:35 pm
Winner, winner. That eagle goes in, and everyone thinks he’s a saint. He misses a squirrely 4-footer on a crap green, and while he pulled it, now he’s the single biggest choke ever? Are you joking? He parred the hole! If he was only simply in the second-to-last group, your narrative wouldn’t exist. What a joke this article is.
Jericho
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:20 pm
Again ..some stellar writing from golfwrx would you guys do me a favor and write an article that actually makes sense.. .. It’s not like Dustin had a four shot lead going in to the 18th .. I’m not sure if you guys know this but Spieth double bogeyed a par three just before to even it.. Both Johnson and Spieth were on in two for eagle, one of them two putted one of them three putted how is that the worst blowup in history .. There isn’t anyone in the hundreds of years of history since the inception of golf that didn’t have a super slick short down hiller that ran past and was missed coming back .. Have most of these players ever even played Chambers Bay before this year .. With the Collie flower like Poana/concrete like greens .. It was a total crapshoot for anyone.. So how is Dustins the worst blowup in history again??
marshap
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:19 pm
Mr. Gavrich, you should write comments for the WWF, not golf. Your reasoning is palpably ridiculous. GolfWRX, we deserve better.
Jeff Q
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:16 pm
Yeah, DJ didn’t “collapse” as much as he “choked” if you want to get the hyperbole correct. He was trailing anyway, had a chance to win but missed it. He didn’t have a lead and lose it.
Bread
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:43 am
I’m sorry, but needing to birdie to tie and not getting it is no where near as bad as needing to double-bogey to win. Van de Velde could have hit 5 iron, 5 iron, 9 iron, PW, and 3 putted. Johnson hit a 340 drive and a clutch 2nd shot to put himself into position to win. No way his 3 putt from 12 feet is worse than the warm turd that Van de Velde dropped.
Bacon
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:57 pm
Fully agreed.
Hmm-IamoutofR15
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:31 am
DJ played better than anyone in the field in this one. Spieth got lucky. Oh, well. Maybe DJ will kick butt in the next major.
Dunce
Jun 22, 2015 at 2:24 pm
He missed way too many short putts on Sunday to say he played better than anyone in the field.
devilsadvocate
Jun 23, 2015 at 5:25 am
He did HIT the better than anyone… Also #1 in putting thru Saturday
Kevin
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:15 am
Tough situation on 18 for DJ. Having a putt to win the US Open, you want to give it a real chance to go in, knowing the greens are bumpy but balancing that with the slope. I respect that he gave it a real run. His short putts lacked enough pace more often than not Sunday. He needed to hit his second putt with the same conviction. Kind of like Rory, if they had made half the short putts they missed, either could have won easily. Spieth separates himself with his putting. I felt like I watched Rory miss 15 or more putts inside 8′.
MikeA
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:11 am
That was a tough putt under US Open tourney pressure…but the public needs to consider the tournament and how the players performed as a whole for the week and not that one putt. When history looks back at this tourney, it will see Jordan’s play and him as a champion.
Ian
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:10 am
Even a non-golfer can tell you that what DJ did was no where near that of Van De Velde.
Watching the clip of Van De Velde reminded me of just how cringe worthy that was. That’s golf I guess.
MHendon
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:01 am
Yeah I’d say it’s a bit of a stretch saying Van De Velde lost the title biggest choker to Dustin on this one. Overall Dustin played that 18th magnificently and if you look at the video of the final putt right here on this page you can see he made a good stroke. The ball just simply dove left on him.
Greg Hunter
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:59 am
wow, some harsh comments for DJ…none of us would have made that putt, because none of could even qualify
Pat M
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:19 am
If my local muni course had greens like that – they would go out of business. What an awful course.
Jericho
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:01 pm
Lol..Greg good one
Johan
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:41 am
I think DJ was rattled, by Jason Day’s distracting questions about who should go first. Really Jason? You have no chance to win – so you are suggesting to let Dustin go first for the potential win/tie – and then what? You’d tap in for an asterisk in the history books? Common sense would dictate that Day finishes and then step aside for the drama to unfold. Unfortunately, I think it was the lack of focus that cost Dustin.
Brad
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:51 am
If something so simple would rattle DJ, he should find another career.
MHendon
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:54 am
He asked Dustin would you like me to finish because he would be on Dustins through line. That’s simple courtesy that all avid golfers are familiar with.
Matto
Jun 22, 2015 at 6:18 pm
Actually Jason displayed the perfect gentlemanly etiquette. 100%
devilsadvocate
Jun 23, 2015 at 5:34 am
Did u not watch? He definitely should have finished before Dustin for obvious reasons however ETIQUETTE demand any player about ttoplay out of turn should ask if they may play out of turn… Hence the question to dj was really just a courtesy ask but dj is such an idiot he goes “uhhhh uhhhh… Uhhhh… I don’t care” and day , sounding like he was a little tired of dj being a big meathead, quickly did the right thing and said “I’ll just finish” ….. Jason day did everything right according to the traditions of the game and if you really think that’s what caused the 3 jack… I’m sorry but you are incorrect
Erik
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:37 am
Why anyone is feeling sorry for a crack addict is beyond me. Especially after all his antics on tour. DJ is not a champion, Speith is. Compare their personalities. Is anyone really surprised?
Joe
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:36 am
TMAG secretly paid him off so they wouldn’t have to refund 10,000 TMAG driver customers.
Lane
Jun 22, 2015 at 11:04 am
I am no conspiracy theorist but that is a very interesting thought. Although the counter is that repaying the purchase price would not matter because of the sales TMAG would receive from a DJ victory.
Dylan
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:09 pm
One word.. Insurance. Doubtful the refunds would be coming out of tmags pocket
Me Nunya
Jun 22, 2015 at 12:36 pm
Completely forgot about the people rooting for a free driver until now, holy sh**!
$450 on the line and he 3 jacks. Enjoy your R15s people. LOL.
Matt
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:24 am
This is a bad comparison. DJ hit the best drive I’ve ever seen on 18 tee and then followed it up with an amazing 5-iron from 250. That’s clutch. Too bad he wasn’t able to keep it going on the green. Could’ve happened to anyone.
Nolanski
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:20 am
Everybody was putting on the same greens Sunday… They might have been poor but the playing field was level.
Pat M
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:14 am
I feel really bad for Dustin. In his defense, those greens were the worst ever. I could have made nice greens with crab grass and weed. The worst course in US Open history. Goony golf will cammo greens.
Carl
Jun 23, 2015 at 12:41 am
DJ loves weed he should have been right at home
BigBoy
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:14 am
DJ will be accepting the mantle from Norman some time this week as “the” CHOKER
Pat M
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:15 am
At least Norman had decent greens to put on. DJ had a cammo colored cow pasture. Chambers Bay is a poster child for Round Up and Weed B Gone.
Jim
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:24 am
…. “If Dustin Johnson wins, Taylormade loses….” That was their add leading into this week. I wonder how much Taylormade would have lost if Dustin won…
Zooch79
Jun 22, 2015 at 10:47 am
I’m sure they hedged themselves with of hole-in-one insurance…
me
Jun 24, 2015 at 12:47 pm
TM definitely insured that gamble. There is no chance that any company would allow a gamble like that without hedging their bets. The funny thing is, their slogan was “If Dustin Johnson wins, Taylormade loses”, but in reality, even if DJ won, TM would still have made out on the deal given the increase in sales that this whole thing promoted, coupled with the fact that they hedged their bet. Smart play TM.