D.J. Gets His 'Best' Win at Doral


Since coming off a self-imposed six-month absence to address "personal challenges," Dustin Johnson had done everything but secure a victory after returning to action a month ago.

But all that changed Sunday when the long-hitting South Carolinian closed with a masterful 3-under 69 on a tough Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral in Miami to win the $9.25 million WGC-Cadillac Championship.

The 30-year-old, whose fiancée Paulina Gretzky delivered the couple's first baby on January 20, posted four birdies and a bogey Sunday to finish at 9-under 279, a stroke ahead of J.B. Holmes. Holmes had led the tournament throughout after firing a 10-under 62 on Thursday, but closed with a disappointing 75 to fall a stroke short of logging a wire-to-wire victory.

At greenside, Johnson said of his ninth victory, "It means everything. It's been a tough road but it's all been worth it. I played great today." As for how the title measures up to the others in his meteoric career, Johnson added, "All my wins are good, but this one may be the best."

Johnson re-entered competitive golf at the Farmers Insurance Open in February, where he missed the cut, But then his vaunted game began coming around; he tied for fourth at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am - where he's won twice - and took second at the Northern Trust Open. He missed the cut in last week's Honda Classic.

Of his personal travails, Johnson said, "I knew I was really good. I just knew there was something that I was missing that could make me great. I've really been working hard, and I think it's showing right now."

Sunday's victory, Johnson's second WGC title, was worth $1.57 million and 550 FedEx Cup points.

Entering the final round with a five-stroke edge over Johnson and No. 2-ranked Bubba Watson, Holmes couldn't get anything going Sunday. The 32-year-old Kentuckian had a rugged front nine with three bogeys, making the turn in 3-over 39, before tacking on another bogey at the par-4 14th. Though he birdied the short par-4 16th, Holmes couldn't birdie either of the last two holes to force extra holes with Johnson. His long birdie try on the 18th stopped just short of the cup.

Watson posted a 71 to end up in solo third at 7-under 281. Three strokes further down the leaderboard were Australia's Adam Scott (71) and No. 3-ranked Henrik Stenson (72) of Sweden.

South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen posted a 73 to take sixth at 285, while another stroke back were a couple of North Carolinians, Webb Simpson (73) and Bill Haas (74).

The only other players in the elite field that featured the world's top-50 players to finish below par were Kevin Na (71), Ryan Moore (76) and No. 1 Rory McIlroy, at 1-under 287. The 25-year-old McIlroy had four birdies, two bogeys and a double on the difficult par-4 finishing hole for a 72.

Before the start of the final round, the owner of Doral, New York developer Donald Trump, returned the 3-iron McIlroy had thrown into a water hazard during Friday's frustrating second round. "It's unlucky to have only 13 clubs," Trump told McIlroy as the Ulsterman warmed up on the driving range.

At the conclusion of the last round McIlroy gave the club back to Trump. "We'll either donate it to charity or mount it," Trump told reporters. "But I'd really like to mount it [in the clubhouse]. That was a beautiful moment. He did it [threw the club] with such elegance. We'll do one or the other. He's a great kid, a great player. Anything he does is news. It showed a human touch. He's a fantastic person."

McIlroy's next tournament will be the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which starts March 19. His immediate plans are to go to Augusta National this week and play a practice round with his father Gerry and New England Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady.

With rounds of 73, 70, 72 and 72 at Doral, the four-time major champion noted, "Game's just not quite there. I've got a week off now to try and work on it a little bit. Pretty disappointed with how I played overall. I felt it was a little better again today for the most part. Bit of a disappointing finish. Just not quite 100 percent."

Defending champion Patrick Reed shot a 75 Sunday to end up tied for 23rd at 2-over 290.

For all the scores, visit http://www.worldgolfchampionships.com/cadillac-championship/leaderboard.html.