Zach Johnson downplays effect of air cannon at the Deere
Zach Johnson had every right to be annoyed.
As he was lining up his 35-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th at TPC Deere Run in Sunday’s final round of the John Deere Classic, a sudden explosion jolted the 2007 Masters winner into mid-air. He had no idea what happened or where the noise was coming from or what he should do next.
However, after the noise didn’t repeat itself, Johnson stepped away from the putt at hand to gather himself, drink some water and reset before a putt that could have landed him in a playoff. Johnson didn’t make the putt and he dealt with a brutal lip-out on the 18th, too. He was a shot shy of the playoff in the end, won by Jordan Spieth. (Who else?)
After the round, Johnson played it cool, choosing not to harp on what turned out to be a boater firing off an air cannon from his craft cruising the river near the 16th hole.
“It’s not like I’m tapping something in, you know,” Johnson said to PGA Tour Radio after a Sunday 6-under 65. “I still got my par out of there, and would have liked to hit a better first putt.
“At the same time, we’re used to a lot of things. Maybe not quite that severity or that odd of a thing, but at the same time, regrouping and delays and all that kind of stuff, you’ve just gotta roll with it.”
Though Johnson didn’t pick up the win, he did nab yet another medal-stand finish at the Deere for his third top-six effort in his last four starts. He’s excited for the British Open.
“I feel great about my game. I’ve been feeling good about my game for months,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of being patient and execution.”
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
