It's the US Open Weekend. Lets Throw Back To A Couple of Dustin Johnson's Trophies.
I’ll be honest. I sat down to write about Lavar Ball being the biggest asshole on the planet (again) for telling the Washington Post that he thinks his wife had a stroke last year — that nearly killed her — so that “she could be quiet for a minute.” It infuriated me. I can’t stand this fucking guy. That’s the mother of his children. Hell hath no fury.
But then I realized it’s Friday. It’s US Open Friday. It’s a nice 72-degree day here in New York City. I’m not chugging Nyquil for the first day in a while. I don’t want to go into the weekend like that. Plus, you fine people out there counting the minutes until you get the hell out of work deserve something that makes everybody happy.
So, I decided we should all relive this great moment in sports history.
Shinnecock Hills is proving to be a real bitch so far this week. Dustin Johnson is one of the only guys currently under par for the first couple of days and, as I’m writing this, is on the top of the leader board by a few strokes.
Like I mentioned yesterday, I was at Oakmont for the US Open in 2016 when DJ won his first major. It was a great win after the wild collapse he had the year before at Chambers Bay. That three-putt, woof.
But as you remember, the 2016 win didn’t come without controversy.
DJ was told before he teed off on 12 that he may be assessed a one-stroke penalty for (not really) moving his ball on the 5th green. He said he didn’t touch the ball with his club or move it.
I was watching it all unfold inside a fairway suite on 16. (Our fearless leader Dave Portnoy says it’s not bragging if it’s facts.) When we got wind of the penalty drama, all I could think was “call me crazy — and I definitely can be crazy — but if he actually DID move the ball, why would he move it backwards? Common sense, anyone?!”
And I wasn’t alone. Everybody was pissed.
It really was such a bullshit call.
But in the end, it didn’t matter. DJ birdied 18 to finish the weekend -4 shooting 69 (nice). Even though Jason Day made a run up the leader board on Sunday, he eventually collapsed and finished +2. Nobody else cracked -1 for the tournament.
It was an epic week of golf with an epic finish. And last but certainly not least, we got this all-time moment.
Dustin was a champion on and off the course that day. Win for all. Happy Friday!