Dustin Johnson hopes his US Open disappointment will help inspire an altogether different result at the AT&T National.
American hopes to put US Open disappointment behind him this week
Dustin Johnson hopes the encouraging words of peers following his US Open disappointment will help inspire an altogether different result at the AT&T National, which starts on Thursday.
The American was a contender at Pebble Beach two weeks ago before suffering a three-hole collapse early in the final round, thus helping pave the way for Ulsterman Graeme McDowell to become Europe's first major winner in 11 years.
Ahead of this week's visit to the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, Johnson revealed that Greg Norman, who famously lost a six-shot lead to Nick Faldo in the final round of the 1996 Masters, made a point of offering support.
"He's been in my situation a few times (so it was) nice to get a call from him," admitted Johnson.
Of Pebble Beach itself, Johnson told the PGA Tour website: "I still love the golf course. Any time I can play a tournament there, I'll play it. All you can do is put yourself in a situation to win a US Open, and I still finished in the top 10 so it's not like I had a terrible week or anything.
"I've got to take out the positives that I can from that week. But it was just one of those days where I was just a little bit off and it just got magnified."
Johnson will be playing the first two rounds at the AT&T with Tiger Woods, who also expressed sympathy over his troubles.
Woods said: "Well, it happens. And just because it happened doesn't mean that you can't ever win again. If he has the talent and the game to give himself that type of lead at a US Open, there's no reason why he can't do that again and finish it off.
"It's just a matter of picking yourself up and doing it all over again."
Johnson's troubles started with a triple-bogey on the second hole and he believes that had he played it better he could have been heading into the AT&T with a major under his belt.
He said: "I think that hole kind of sets the tone for the tournament. If I hit a good shot in there and have a decent look at birdie, I think it's a totally different golf tournament."
Johnson now hopes he can take the encouragement from his fellow pros and apply it, starting at this weekend's tournament.
He said: "All of them told me that they learned more from times that they'd lose than they did from when they'd win. Golf is a learning process, non-stop."
