Dustin Johnson captures historic Masters title

 

Top-ranked Dustin Johnson won the Masters in record-smashing fashion on Sunday, capturing his second major title with the lowest total score in Augusta National history.

The 36-year-old American was in tears after winning the green jacket only an hour’s drive from where he grew up.

“It’s a dream come true,” a crying Johnson said. “As a kid I always wanted to become a Masters champion. It’s just incredible.

“I never have this much trouble gathering myself. On the golf course I’m good at it.”

Johnson, whose other major victory came at the 2016 US Open, fired a four-under-par 68 to finish on a Masters record 20-under-par 268.

That was good enough for a five-stroke triumph over South Korean Im Sung-jae and Australian Cameron Smith with third-ranked American Justin Thomas fourth on 276.

Johnson’s score in relation to par matched the lowest in major history and smashed the old 72-hole Masters mark of 18-under 270 set by Woods in 1997 and matched by Jordan Spieth in 2015.

It was an incredible turnaround for a player who missed his planned Masters tuneups after contracting Covid-19 last month, returning only last week with a runner-up effort in Houston.

Johnson, the first reigning world number one to grab the green jacket since Tiger Woods in 2002, was denied the usual champion’s roars from spectators as no fans were allowed due to the Covid-19 pandemic that postponed the event from its usual April slot.