Dustin Johnson, the golf sensation affiliated with LIV Golf, finds himself in an unusual position this year. Despite his impeccable 5-0 performance in the previous Ryder Cup, he won’t be representing the U.S. team in Rome. This remarkable feat had previously been achieved by only three other players, including the legendary Arnold Palmer.
Unfortunately for Johnson, the opportunity to further solidify his place in Ryder Cup history at Marco Simone eluded him, as he was not chosen by U.S. captain Zach Johnson. In a recent interview with The Palm Beach Post, the two-time major champion candidly admitted that his performance in 2023 had not been his best. However, he maintained that had he still been competing on the PGA Tour, he likely would have secured a spot on the team.
Expressing his desire to be part of the team, the former U.S. Open champion stated, “I would love to be part of the team, but to be honest, I haven’t really played that well this year. But have I played well enough to be on the team? Yeah, I didn’t have the best year. Was it good enough to make the team? I think so. If I would have been playing on [the PGA Tour], yeah, I would have made the team.”
Dustin Johnson, with five prior Ryder Cup appearances under his belt, finds himself on the sidelines this year. Despite a successful stint with LIV Golf, where he clinched the individual title during the league’s inaugural season and secured another victory in May, his five top-10 finishes in 2023 weren’t enough to sway the captain’s decision.
Johnson acknowledges that to earn a captain’s pick, he needed to make a significant impact during the season’s four major championships. His fellow LIV Golf peer, Brooks Koepka, seized this opportunity and is among the 11 PGA Tour players chosen to represent the U.S. in Rome. Johnson reflects, “If I would have played a little better at the majors, I think I definitely would have had a really good chance to be on the team. But just struggled a little bit in the majors this year, which happens.”
In the 2023 major championships, Johnson’s best finish was a T10 at the U.S. Open, followed by a T48 at the Masters, T55 at the PGA Championship, and a missed cut at the British Open. In contrast, Koepka’s stellar performance included a PGA Championship victory and top finishes in other majors. Despite this disparity, Johnson remains confident in his ability to contribute to the U.S. team, asserting, “Do I think I can help the U.S. team? Absolutely.”
