Dustin Johnson has been a fascinating case study in both on-the-course and off-the-course behavior throughout his career. While some accuse his stoicism as a lack of intellect, others laud it his ability to get over poor shots, bad rounds or bad breaks quickly.
Regardless of the true reason, there’s something to keep an eye on this week in Paris at the Ryder Cup as the unflappable DJ did something bizarre even for him. After months of tinkering with different putters — switching between three models over the course of the FedEx Cup Playoffs — Johnson did something on Saturday that defies logic: he changed his putting grip six holes into his round.
Cross-handed putting?
In the middle of the round?
During the @PlayoffFinale?Dustin Johnson tried it. And it worked. https://t.co/f6bBA8A2f6
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 25, 2018
Coming into the third round of the Tour Championship, Johnson was 1-under par for the event. Having missed four birdie opportunities in the first five holes, albeit none from inside 8 feet, Johnson made the change.
He would go on to shoot 3-under par on Saturday and matched it on Sunday to finish in solo third place, which moved him into fourth place in the FedEx Cup standings.
Asked after the round about the change, the Q&A was quintessentially DJ.
What putter and putting grip DJ uses this week at Le Golf National in Paris will now be of even more note.
DJ giving Hideki a run for his money as the biggest putter tinkerer on TOUR. Used TaylorMade Soto and Spider Tour last week. Photographed with Juno today in France. pic.twitter.com/BpA4uW0ujx
— Jonathan Wall (@jonathanrwall) September 25, 2018
