Sky Sports.com - Masters 2008

Green with envy: Johnson is handed his green jacket by Phil Mickelson

Masters champion Zach Johnson does not come across as the sort of person who would step out of line during the year of his reign.

But he did - within 24 hours of becoming champion.

It is every golfer's dream to be presented with a green jacket at the Augusta National Golf Club. Nobody told Johnson, though, not to wear jeans with it when out in public.

That is how he appeared on a chat show in New York the day after his first major win and it was not long before a gentle slap on the wrist came his way.

"We just didn't know - I'm pleading ignorance because it's true," said the American.

"We didn't leave Augusta National until 12.30 or one o'clock in the morning. We had the jacket and I'm like 'where is the hanger, where do we put it?'.

"I didn't know I could take it. I had no idea. Everybody is gone. The only people left were like the media clean-up people and the bartender in the Butler Cabin.

"Anyway, we received the word that you get the jacket for a year, so I took it to New York with us obviously and I went down to Times Square wearing jeans and tennis shoes and a tee shirt. Pictures taken and everything."

The television appearance followed, but Johnson's agent was then contacted and the new champion was urged not to repeat the fashion faux pas.

"I have no idea who it was, but they were very understanding about it. There's a protocol, but we just didn't know what it was. So now it's golf-oriented events, Augusta-oriented events - no jeans."

Decision

That was an easy decision for the 32-year-old from Iowa, not wanting to upset anybody. A tougher one involved actress Halle Berry.

The Hollywood star was among the people Johnson met as a result of his victory and he was invited to attend her latest film premiere.

"My wife nearly killed me because we didn't go," he said.

The reason they didn't says a lot about him. Because he had committed to playing in the next US Tour event he felt his career, even after such an achievement, should still come first.

He hopes there are many more majors still to come, especially as he considered Augusta the least likely place for him to break through.

"Everything that golf course throws at you, it's pretty much against you," he said.

"When the conditions are wet there I'm hitting three-irons and four-irons and wearing out my long irons into those greens."

Not one of the game's big hitters - amazingly he triumphed a year ago despite not even attempting to reach any of the four par-fives in two all week - he thought his best chance of a major would be at the US PGA.

What helped him at Augusta a year ago was that it was dry, windy and cool. Not only did hitting the fairways become more important, but the run on the ball meant he had less club into the greens.

It was a shock win - and one achieved with a one-over total that matched the highest in Masters history - but when asked later if he felt he could beat anybody on any given day he came straight back: "Absolutely - and I would say that about the other 250 card-carrying members on the PGA Tour.

Mistaken

"A guy that carries his Tour card out here, whether it's one year or 10 years, they have the ability. (If) Tiger Woods has an off-day, he can be beaten. That's just the way it is.

"When I first won (early in his rookie season of 2004) I felt I could win every week. I thought 'it's not as hard as I thought it would be out here'. I was sorely mistaken."

Defending at Augusta will be special even before the event starts. On the Tuesday evening he hosts the champions' dinner and chooses the menu.

"Me being from the mid-west, we'll throw some beef and corn in there and maybe some pork. Tiger says there's nobody there that cares.

"The way the chefs prepare the food there is fantastic. Even their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are really good. I know it's weird, but they are."

And, of course, he will be at that champions' dinner for the rest of his life now. Wearing that green jacket, but not with jeans.