Johnson the one to watch as rain shortens US Open golf practice
Published:Soft conditions are now expected at the US Open after recent onslaughts of rain regularly suspended practice and this could play into the hands of Dustin Johnson.
In his 13 PGA Tour starts this season, Johnson has only registered three top-10 finishes and he hasn’t truly been in contention for a victory since his triumph at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions back in early January.
However, this triumph could be extra significant given the recent raft of rain at Merion Golf Club and in turn it could make Johnson overpriced at 40/1 in the US Open odds for victory.
Johnson’s four-stroke success in Hawaii came in a tournament that was reduced to three days because of heavy winds and this was his third victory in succession in PGA Tour events which lost a day to the weather.
He had previously won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2009 after rain soaked the course and then he secured victory at The Barclays in 2011 when a hurricane shortened play.
Although, seeing the US Open cut short because of the weather is a highly unlikely scenario, the wet conditions may well suit Johnson.
Firstly, he ranks second in the PGA Tour statistics for driving distance and with less roll-out virtually guaranteed on the wet fairways, added length off the tee may become more vital to ensure a lesser club for approach shots into average-sized greens.
Following on from this, Johnson’s carry distance is also the second best on the tour, which could enable more wedges into greens, especially on the stretch between holes seven and 12, which includes five par 4s of no more than 403 yards.
It is accuracy where Johnson tends to struggle off the tee, but his victory in Hawaii in January did include some erratic tee shots.
Alternatively, Johnson is 20/1 to be the top American and 3/1 to finish in the top 10 of a major for the sixth time in his career.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
