Johnson avoids sand traps in BMW Championship win
Back in June, Dustin Johnson had a three stroke lead heading into the final day of the US Open. He lost the lead, and the Open, partially because of a penalty he took in a sand trap. Now he’s found redemption by winning yesterday’s BMW Championship, and qualifying for the Tour Championship next week in Georgia.
Normally it would be considered a tremendous mistake by the golfer to touch the sand with his club, but the bunker Johnson hit from at the US Open wasn’t an easily identifiable sand trap. Perhaps if the PGA hadn’t allowed 40,000 people to tread through the trap it would have been more identifiable, but they did, and Johnson didn’t know he was in a bunker when he touched the ground in front of his ball. The result was a two-stroke penalty, and a fifth place finish.
Yesterday’s win in Illinois not only solidified Johnson’s spot in the Tour Championship next week, but it was also a confidence boost for the 26-year old.
"To finally get it done, especially after all the things I've gone through this summer ... it can't feel any better," Johnson said. "I played really good golf today. I didn't make as many birdies as I would have liked, but I made just enough."
Heading into the back nine, Paul Casey had a three-stroke lead over Johnson, but three straight bogeys by Casey gave Johnson a chance to win, barring another unfortunate bunker incident. Johnson took a chance on the 17th hole, cutting off the corner with a long drive over a tree line. The move worked as he was able to chip the ball two feet away from the cup on his second shot for an easy tap in birdie.
"I knew I needed to hit a good tee ball because it was going to be my best chance of making a birdie," he said. "I was just trying to cut a drive, hold it against the wind and get it around the corner a little bit. And I hit it perfect."
Johnson moved up to the second spot of the FedEx Cup Standings, and is one of the 30 invited to the Tour Championship. The winner of the FedEx Cup will win $10 million.
Failing to qualify for the Tour Championship was Tiger Woods. Woods finished 15th at the BMW Championship and ended his season 42nd in the FedEx Cup standings.
"That's just the way it is," said Woods. "I didn't play well early in the year, and I didn't play well in the middle of the year."
It’s the first time in his professional career that he has not qualified for a tournament.
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