Dustin Johnson’s run on PGA Tour hard to match

Dustin Johnson’s win Monday at the Tour Championship to secure the FedEx Cup capped one of the best months of golf in many years on the PGA Tour.

It’s beyond time to express appreciation for Johnson, who is too often overlooked as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. And he shows no signs of slowing down.

Johnson has taken a lead into the final round in each of his last four tournaments. He won two of those, lost a playoff in a third and finished second at the PGA Championship thanks to Collin Morikawa’s flawless final round.

“I’m playing very well right now, but I feel I can play better,” Johnson said Monday. “There are times I’m not firing on all cylinders.”

It’s hard to find when those times might be. At the PGA, his final-round 68 held off everyone except Morikawa. He then finished 30-under at the Northern Trust in Boston and won by 11 strokes, then lost a playoff at the BMW Championship in Chicago when Jon Rahm made a 65-foot twisting birdie putt. At the Tour Championship in Atlanta, Johnson held the lead from start to finish.

“I’m playing some of the best golf I’ve ever played,” he said in his typical understated fashion.

Good, consistent golf has been a hallmark of Johnson’s career, which includes at least one victory every year since joining the PGA Tour in 2008. Winning in each of his first 13 seasons is something done only by Johnson, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

He now has 23 career titles, good for 27th all-time. That’s more wins than Davis Love III, Ernie Els, Greg Norman and Nick Price, to name a few. Among active players, he trails only Woods and Phil Mickelson for most wins.

He’s made more than $67 million on the course, including $15 million this past weekend, and millions more in endorsements. Johnson is set financially beyond his wildest dreams, and he knows it.

“It’s not about the money,” he said, reflecting on the giant payday. “It’s the trophies and the wins that matter.”

Perhaps Johnson gets overlooked because of his mellow approach to the game, his consistency, his boring social media, or playing amongst so many big personalities. Or maybe he has adapted to being second fiddle even in his own family, considering his partner of eight years is the daughter of the greatest hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky.

Johnson said he will celebrate his big month by spending a few days with Paulina Gretzky and their two boys, ages 5 and 3, “then get back to grinding” in preparation for next week’s delayed U.S. Open, the most challenging tournament of the season.

“I’m very confident going into the U.S. Open,” he said, noting he has never played at Winged Foot, site of this year’s tournament.

He won the U.S. Open in 2016 at Oakmont Country Club, and he’s come close four other times, so he certainly expects to be in the hunt again next week.

And despite his nonchalant outward appearance, there’s a fire burning inside him.

“I always get nervous,” he said of big events. “You know, it means something. So I’m always nervous on the first tee.”

Chip Shots

It’s that time of year in Southern Nevada when golf courses overseeds to prepare for the cooler months when Bermuda grass goes dormant. This can lead to course closures in some cases. Elite Golf, which operates six area courses, has released its schedule.

The Legacy: No interruptions, no cart path restrictions

Primm Valley (Lakes): Closed all September; no cart path restrictions thereafter

Primm Valley (Desert): No interruptions, no cart path restrictions

Mountain Falls: No overseeding, no interruptions, although greens will be aerated Sept 20-22

Aliante: Overseeding greens, tees and green surrounds only; nine holes open Sept 14-17.

Wildhorse: Overseeding of greens and tees began Tuesday, but staying open throughout. No cart path restrictions.

Greg Robertson is a freelance reporter who covers golf for the Review-Journal. He can be reached at robertsongt@gmail.com