Dustin Johnson: “I miss watching and playing with my PGA colleagues”

The Cadiz sun is scorching and Dustin Johnson (Columbia, United States; 40 years old), a golfer who has won two majors -US Open (2016) and Augusta Masters (2020) – and now captain of the 4Aces team in LIV, the Saudi league, he takes refuge in the shade, sitting in a chair that he has made his improvised office. But he has his mobile phone in his hand and finds it hard to tear himself away from the screen. “Come on,” he suddenly urges. Then, he looks you in the face and answers until one of his team, after 10 minutes, says: “One more question.” Dustin shrugs, articulates one last answer and walks away, always with his calm step, a reflection of his character and golf.

Ask.At 40, what are the differences between your golf game now and that of a couple of decades ago?

Answer. Well, I’m wiser because this is a sport of constant struggle. I’ve been through a lot of experiences, good and bad. This year, I won in Las Vegas and then, for different reasons, I picked up bad habits in my game. But now I feel like I’m playing really well, I’ve made a leap again and I’m confident in myself. This game is about coming to my senses.

P. Have you worked with a sports psychologist?

R. I’ve had them a few times, not always, and they are a very good help. They help you simplify things, focus on what’s important, and possibly play your best golf to try to win.

P. Are you still hungry to win?

R. Never. I would stop playing if I knew or even felt that I couldn’t win. I am very competitive and I am competitive in everything and with everyone. With my friends, with my wife, with my children… In any sport, in anything, and it doesn’t matter if we are playing for money. Whether it’s fishing, cards, golf or whatever, I want to win. In my house it’s the same and that makes everything much more fun.

P. He is now a family man, but when he was young he did some crazy things – he was banned for doping, he attacked a house… – have those bad decisions made him who he is today?

R. Of course. It’s clear that when I was young I made some stupid mistakes, but I learned from them and moved on.

P.It can’t be easy for a youngster to manage the stress of golf, right?

R. Well, I’ve always loved golf. I’ve had my ups and downs, disappointments like when you lose a tournament, when you think you’ve done a good job and things don’t work out for you. You have to hold on and hold on, understand that this is just a game. Besides, nobody always wins. The important thing is to look at the mistakes and try to understand why you made them and what you can do to improve.

P. Going to LIV was not a mistake for you, right?

R. It was the best decision! The PGA had very long seasons, and with LIV I play less and can spend more time with my family. Since then, I coached my kids’ baseball team, basketball team… Well, it wasn’t coaching, it was helping them train, but I loved it. I couldn’t do things like this before.

P. He also makes more money.

R. I’m saying that it’s the best possible decision for me and my family. If you work for Google, or for Apple, or for whoever, and somewhere else they pay you more… It’s our job and we love it, but at the end of the month we still have to pay the bills. Look at it however you want, but it’s about taking care of your family. I’ve always said that and I’ll always say it because it’s the truth.

P. But would you like to see the PGA and LIV merge?

R. I’d love to figure out a way to get everyone playing together again. Who knows. There are some really smart people out there and I think it’s possible. I still have a lot of friends there and I miss seeing my colleagues more. I see some of them, but not all of them. And it’s always great to get together and hang out.

P. Is there such a strong rivalry between golfers on both sides as is said?

R. In my case, not at all. I’m a good friend of everyone. But I’m sure it exists in some.

P. For you, golf is even a family affair, as your younger brother Austin is your caddie…

R. He has been with me since 2013. He is great and has become a really good caddie. It is a great experience to play and travel with my brother all over the world. I couldn’t ask for more. Plus, I don’t usually get angry with him. We do fight from time to time because that’s normal, regardless of whether we are on the course or not. And sometimes we make fun of each other a bit. But he is a great teammate. With him, I am calm.

P. And what about the music that LIV plays during tournaments?

R. I enjoy the music. I would actually turn it up because 99% of the audience is fantastic, but there are always people who say things they shouldn’t say. With the music louder I wouldn’t hear them…

P. You are now at the LIV Andalucía, which is not a very long course, which does not help the hitters. Do you think that the courses should be made longer?

R. I have been on the best courses in the world and they don’t need to be long but firm, fast and hard, not soft.

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