Dustin Johnson won the Masters in his career after a dominant performance at Augusta, which set new standards at this famous tournament. The American broke records, made unreal shots, not allowing the competition to have the slightest hope of endangering his championship quest.
Johnson would finish with a new record here at Augusta, 20 under par, leaving Cameron Smith and Sung-jae Im behind, even though they both tried to come back in the finish. Smith was under 15, the same as Im, while Justin Thomas ended 4th with under 12.
“It still feels like a dream. As a kid, I was dreaming about winning the Masters, and having Tiger put the Green Jacket on you still feels like a dream,” the winner explained.
After the US Open in 2016, Dustin Johnson won his second major, erasing several tragic slips he experienced once being on the verge of capturing the trophy.
Even though he looked ice-cold during the entire tournament, the emotions overwhelmed Johnson during the modest trophy ceremony, and the world No.1 couldn’t resist shedding a few tears. It was a moment of reward for the 36-year old who had numerous problems in the past few years.
He became the first No.1 to win Masters since 2002 and Tiger Woods. Johnson also broke Woods’ record here, set in 1997, and later tied in 2015 by Jordan Speith. His result is two shots better than the previous one, which can give you a clear picture of DJ’s domination here in Georgia.
Yet, both Im and Smith need to be credited as well, as their constant pressure forced Johnson to break all the limits and achieve the record. Unlike the previous four situations at majors, when the American had a lead after 54 holes, he would now keep his calm to overcome all the challenges, served not only by the opponents but also by other factors.
The reputation of a poor finisher and the person who chokes in the critical moments of the tournaments lingered above Johnson’s head for quite a while. It presented a massive burden for the new Masters’ winner, and that could be the reason why he started crying once receiving the Green Jacket.
Besides the trophy, Johnson earned $2.1 million, while Smith and Im added one million dollars to their respective bank accounts.