This time, Dustin Johnson has the edge over Jordan Spieth
I’m pretty sure the R&A knows what it’s doing.
By pairing Jordan Spieth with Dustin Johnson the first two rounds, the British Open has felt like match play between these two great golfers. No disrespect to Danny Willett or anyone else who has a legitimate shot to capture the Claret Jug, but guess what? It still seems like one-on-one heading into the weekend.
More on that in a minute. Let me get a few other thoughts out of the way.
● We spent Thursday and Friday not just seeing great golf, but also watching the ceremony of this remarkable tournament. We had the pleasure of witnessing five-time champ Tom Watson say goodbye to the championship he loves so much. We saw Nick Faldo play his final round at St. Andrews. And am I the only one who loves listening to Ian McShane do the British Open openings? My kids love it because they hear Blackbeard from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, but I swear to me it seems like Old Tom Morris himself is talking to us. Keep that man on the payroll.
● As much as I hate to keep jumping on the “Tiger Woods is done” bandwagon, he is going to miss another cut at a major championship. (Yes, I know it’s not officially over for Tiger, but he’s not going to make the cut. Sorry.) I had planned on skipping Tiger’s struggles for a day, but on Thursday I heard Paul Azinger sum up Woods’ last eight years or so in one sentence, and I had to repeat it. “Everyone wanted to swing like Tiger,” Zinger said. “Except Tiger.” Perfectly stated. Who knew Azinger was such a philosopher? Tiger Woods constantly dismantling his swing, chipping and putting strokes is a story I could talk about for a month straight, but I’ll save it for my column leading into next month’s PGA Championship.
● Thankfully, there was a lot of wind on Friday, and it’s supposed to continue into Saturday. I know I’m flirting with golf blasphemy by saying this, but St. Andrews is potentially the most boring of all the usual British Open venues to watch. That is, unless the wind blows. Then it becomes easily the best course to watch as golf’s best are forced to improvise shots. When guys have to play the ball on the ground, the Old Course really shines. The American style of golf, hitting it high and soft, goes out the door when the St. Andrews wind is whipping. As interested spectators, let’s keep our fingers crossed that this continues.
Now, let me get back to my original thought: the Dustin Johnson and Jordan Speith Show. Any other week, I give Jordan the clear edge over Dustin. Great putting almost always trumps great driving, but not at a windy St. Andrews. To me, it feels like it’s becoming just the Dustin Johnson Show.
First off, Jordan Spieth is a great golfer. No surprise there. His golf IQ is second to none, he hits his wedges close and he’s clearly the best putter on the planet. We know that he’s won a ton of events this season, including the first two majors. What we don’t know is how long he can keep up this high level of concentration. Mentally, it takes so much out of you to play that well for that long. Yes, he is still a very young man who is on a hot streak that we haven’t seen from anyone in a while — OK, since Rory McIlroy exactly one year ago — but it’s a lot to ask of anyone. Even Jordan.
Another reason I give an edge to Dustin is that Jordan’s putting advantage is negated in the wind. A great putter has a hard time making the stroke he usually has so much confidence in while the wind is blowing him off-balance. I was a very good putter in my day, but when the wind blew over 20 miles per hour, I felt like I was useless. How do you time your slow, smooth putting stroke while the breeze has you swaying like a leaf on a tree? I have no idea.
But the main reason I believe Dustin Johnson is going to be the Open champion in 2015 is because he’s the best driver of the ball in the entire field. There is no one in golf that matches D.J. for length, and he’s no slouch in the accuracy department. At any course in the world, driving it 350 yards in the middle of the fairway makes that course pretty easy. (I guess; I’ve never done it.) But at a breezy St. Andrews it’s a bigger advantage than at almost any other venue. His approach shots aren’t hanging in the wind as long because they’re coming in from much shorter yardages. It’s way easier to avoid the huge mounds around the greens with a 9-iron instead of a 5-iron. Also, he’s due. We all remember what happened at Chambers Bay, and he wants to erase all that.
Obviously, this isn’t just another major championship, this is THE major championship: the British Open Championship at the Old Course. The oldest golf championship at the home of golf. There is simply nothing bigger in our profession. Assuming Johnson wins, and I believe he absolutely will, we may even get to see him crack a smile.
Wait a minute, I forgot about Jason Day. Ahh, forget it. Let’s just watch and find out.
Former PGA Tour pro Robert Damron is a regular contributor to FOXSports.com's golf coverage. Follow him on Twitter @RobertDDamron.
