World number one and defending US Open champion Dustin Johnson laid the blame on his putter after his poor opening round.
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Johnson cut a frustrated figure at Erin Hills on Thursday as the bookies favourite struggled his way around the course.
‘I just didn’t putt very well,’ Johnson told reporters after his 75.
‘I missed a lot of really good opportunities. That was the big key for me.
‘If I don’t three-putt, I shoot even. But if I just make one or two of the good looks I have, it’s a couple under. I didn’t hit it great, but I hit it good enough to shoot a good score.’
Starting on the 10th, Johnson opened with four pars before a double at 14 and a bogey at 15 saw him way off the early pace.
Asked where it went wrong on 14, Johnson responded sharply.
‘No, where it went wrong is where I laid it up in the hay, that’s where it went wrong. And then I got on the green and three-putted for a double. It was a great hole I played there.’
He overcame a rules fiasco last year and will need something special on Friday to get him back into contention. Getting over his Thursday troubles quickly would be a good place to start his turnaround.
‘I’m a little frustrated that I shot 3-over. But it wasn’t – I didn’t play that bad. I just didn’t putt very good. It wasn’t that I was hitting bad putts, my speed was a little off. I’d either miss it — hit it just high and lip it out or they went across the front edge of the hole. My speed was a little off. I felt like I was hitting good putts, just didn’t go on the hole.’
Will a different Johnson be turning up tomorrow? Don’t bet on it.
‘No, I’m playing good,’ replied Johnson when asked if he’ll be changing his plan for the second round.
‘The golf course – you’ve got to hit it in the fairway. I hit enough fairways today to shoot a good score. But I’ve definitely got to roll it better. I’m swinging good, everything feels good, I just need to make more putts here.’
Johnson is 10 shots behind Ryder Cup teammate Rickie Fowler, who stormed to the top with an opening 65.
Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
