Dustin Johnson feasts on Old Course with opening 65
Dustin Johnson wasn’t kidding when he said it didn’t take him long to get over his heartbreaking loss at the U.S. Open.
In his first competitive round since the three-putt par on the 72nd hole at Chambers Bay that cost him his first major title, Johnson shot a 7-under 65 at St. Andrews to take control of the 144th British Open.
The 31-year-old made the Old Course look like a pitch-and-putt, dominating in fairly benign conditions with the combination of astounding length and strong mid-range putting, which isn’t always his strong suit. Johnson opened with 65, a 5-under-par effort, at Chambers Bay last month.
Playing alongside Jordan Spieth in a U.S. Open reprisal of sorts, Johnson got the better of the two-time 2015 major winner by two shots. Heading into the week, Johnson said he thought the grouping, including Hideki Matsuyama, was a good one for him.
“Jordan is a good buddy of mine, and so we have fun playing together,” he said. “I think we’ve got a good group.”
A 12-under three-ball, including Matusyama’s 72, is very good.
Johnson had to make his move on Thursday. A heavy rain is expected Thursday night, while Friday’s forecast calls for strong winds, though they may get lighter in the later wave, when Johnson plays. The Saturday forecast calls for even stronger winds. In other words, this was the day to bank birdies (and an eagle).
“Everyone knows the weather is going to get difficult, so it was important to get off to a good start and try to get as many birdies as you can,” Johnson said.
Five years ago at the Old Course, Johnson ended up on the right side of the draw when a similar Friday storm blew away half the field. In that second round, Johnson shot even-par 72 and went on to finish tied for 14th place.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
