Dustin Johnson takes positives from encouraging start at Wells Fargo

Dustin Johnson feels his game is in good shape after making an encouraging start on his return from injury at the Wells Fargo Championship.

The world No 1 mixed four birdies with two bogeys on his way to a two-under 70 at Eagle Point Golf Club, his first competitive appearance since winning the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March.

Johnson injured his back on the eve of the Masters and withdrew from the opening major of the year just moments before his tee time, but felt back to full strength as one of the early starters in North Carolina.

The FedExCup points leader impressed off the tee and missed just two greens in regulation to sit within three strokes of the early leaders, although was slightly disappointed not to have more success with the putter.

"Since I haven't played in so long, I'm happy with the way I played," Johnson said. "I didn't score that great and didn't really hole many putts, but other than that I played really well.

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"I hit 16 greens and hit the ball great. The two greens I missed I didn't have hard chips; I just didn't get up and down.

"I felt like I hit good putts but just nothing was going in at all, but all in all I'm very pleased with the day I had."

Beginning on the back nine, Johnson rolled in from seven feet to birdie the 12th but missed a putt from a couple of feet further at the par-four next.

Johnson converted a 10-footer at the 15th and birdied the next to reach the turn in 33, only to card his only blemish of the day after failing to get down from off the green at the par-three second.

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The US Open champion saw a run of pars end with a 15-foot gain at the seventh and came close to draining a 50-footer at the next, but hit a wayward tee shot at the ninth on his way to a closing bogey.

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