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NEW WORLD NO. 1 DUSTIN JOHNSON made another statement by winning the WGC-Mexico Championship at Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City by one shot over England's Tommy Fleetwood. Johnson fired a final-round 68 to finish 14 under. It was his fourth WGC title.
DJ is suddenly a closer. Tournaments used to slip through his fingers. Now they slip into them.
"It means a lot," Johnson told Golf Channel's Steve Sands about winning as the top-ranked player in the world.
"Obviously it is a tough spot to be in. There is a lot of pressure on you and I came out and played really well. I felt like I hit the ball great all week. You know, the greens, they are tough to putt on. I didn't feel like I putted my best. But I really hit the ball well. I played just well enough I guess because I won by one."
Other top guns played well. Back in action after a rib injury, Rory McIlroy was the 36-hole leader but couldn't keep pace on the weekend with a 70 and 71. Third-round leader Justin Thomas faded on Sunday. Jon Rahm made a charge and was tied for the lead with Johnson until two three-putt bogeys dropped him to a T3 finish.
Phil Mickelson showed promise with a 10-under total, good for a seventh-place tie with McIlroy and Brandt Snedeker.
A new venue for a WGC event, the world's best players struggled on the deceptive putting surfaces. Johnson, who seems unfazed by anything that happens on a golf course, hung in there and putted well enough to prevail.
"The first day I didn’t feel like I was hitting bad putts," he said. "I was frustrated, but you know I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong with the putter. So I just kept trying to read the putts as best as I could and just really commit to the lines I was going to pick and make a good stroke."
Source: Dustin Johnson: 'I Played Just Well Enough'
