A wiser Johnson returns

American still has plenty to play for this season

Last updated: 25th August 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

A wiser Johnson returns

Johnson: 11th in FedEx standings

It wasn't hard to get over because there's a lot of good things that I can take out of that week. I played really well coming down the stretch, making birdies when I needed to.

Dustin Johnson
Quotes of the week

LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
The Barclays
Thursday from 8pm, Sky Sports HD4

SKY SPORTS ON SKY
From football to fishing and everything in between, including cricket, rugby, golf and tennis - there's some amazing coverage coming up on the five Sky Sports channels. Plus, with the launch of Sky Sports News HD this summer, all five channels will soon be available in stunning high definition, only with Sky. Click here for more

Also see

Dustin Johnson is taking a philosophical view of his USPGA howler as he prepares to return to action at The Barclays this week.

The 26-year-old from South Carolina led by one on the final hole at Whistling Straits when he incurred a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club on what to him looked like just "a piece of dirt".

It was deemed to be a bunker and what he thought was a bogey to drop him into a play-off had to be changed to a seven that dropped him to fifth.

"I'm going to think twice about it every time I get in a bunker," said Johnson, now in New Jersey for the opening event of the FedEx Cup play-offs.

"I mean, it's just a lesson learned, I guess, and anytime I'm on any type of sand I'm going to be quite careful."

Asked if he had read the rule sheet for this week's tournament he replied: "No - I might do that. It was kind of a freak thing and unfortunate, but it happened.

"It wasn't hard to get over because there's a lot of good things that I can take out of that week.

"I played really well coming down the stretch, making birdies when I needed to."

Johnson still has plenty left to play for this season. Ranked 11 in the FedEx Cup standings, he is in contention for the $10million first prize and he is also looking forward to his Ryder Cup debut at Celtic Manor.

"I'm definitely very excited to play the Ryder Cup," he added. "It's one of my goals and a dream growing up, so I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of that."

Watson

The play-off he missed out on saw Germany's Martin Kaymer beat another of the United States team for Celtic Manor, left-hander Bubba Watson.

With his father fighting cancer Watson has not found it hard to get over the disappointment.

"Hitting away at a golf ball is not really that important when you think about it," he commented.

"It's something I do, I love to do, but when it comes down to a missed putt, a missed shot, a shot that goes in the water to lose, it doesn't matter.

"Win or lose, the Ryder Cup is going to be a great experience. It's going to be representing our country and hopefully I'll represent the country well.

"Even if I lose every match I'm going to try my hardest and I'm just going to try to show that the US is a great place and I'm going to try to represent it to the best of my ability."

US Masters 2011. Click here to bet.