Dreams Can Come True

November 15, 2020  /  0 Comments
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As a proud Coastal Carolina University alum, I feel very lucky to say I knew Dustin Johnson long before he became the number one golfer in the world. It’s funny how both DJ and CCU feed off of making sports history and headlines. In 2016, DJ won his first, long overdue, Major (The U.S. Open) at Oakmont. At the same time, Coastal was playing in their first ever College World Series game in Omaha, NE. I convinced my twin brother to meet me in Omaha where we watched DJ win on my Iphone in the stands and we watched Coastal beat Florida on the field. Eleven days later, Coastal ended up winning their first College World Series.

Now, it’s 2020 and DJ just won his second Major, the one that is the most prestigious of all golf or even other sports championships. At the same time, Coastal is ranked #15 in college football with a 7-0 record. If you would have been told in January that the Masters would be played in November, College Game Day would be at the Masters and the Chanticleers from the Sunbelt would be ranked #15 in college football, you would have replied dream on!

2020 has been a year most of us would love to forget happened. Other countries must think we are brewing all of the undertones for a civil war to erupt at any moment. We now live in a world were no one seems to know how to count, you can’t see loved ones, you can say opinions are facts, there’s a pandemic that has sadly made “normal life” seem like a memory we may never get to experience again. I could keep going, but no one likes a whiner. So, even with all the bad going on, the sports gods have shown the silver lining.

Sports figured out how to still play (for the most part). Yes, it was very different, but different is better than none at all. If watching sports in any capacity is your hobby or if you plan your schedule around games then your life had a huge void for months. Sports gave us something to root for and to try to feel normal again.

Covid-19 could be the best thing that happened to DJ’s golf game. (He did test positive a month ago and like 99% of people, he was fine.) As an introvert, DJ thrived in the no-crowds allowed rules. The added pressure of being the spotlight is not DJ’s game or personality. You could see DJ more relaxed and more confident in every round of golf he played. With his little brother, Austin, as his caddy, he looked like he just enjoyed golf more. The roar of the crowd was missed, but did you notice how much more of the course you can see without spectators? It’s beautiful out there.

While my focus is always on DJ (and yes, I swept the St.Clair family bet) here are some other observations from the Masters: Going into the tournament, Bryson DeChambeau, was favored to win over DJ. Bryson’s game changing protein shakes didn’t do him any favors (T34) and of course he had to get the rules officials involved in one way or another (insert eye roll).

The Austinian, Cameron Smith, finished T2. Smith looks like he met his caddie while they both were panhandling outside of Augusta with a sign saying ‘will play for a new barber’. The mustache is super creepy. The mustache was creepy on Ricky Fowler back in the day too. Ricky shaved it and married a supermodel (or an Instagram model, I don’t know the difference these days). Morale of the story, mustaches are creepy and hold you back in life.

Tiger Woods reenacted the movie, Tin Cup, to score a ten, A TEN, on the 12th hole on Sunday. Then he bounced back to finish with five birdies on the final six holes to end T38. DJ was asked what is his favorite tradition is at the Masters and his answer was classic DJ.

Back to DJ. Saturday, also known as moving day. It’s where tournaments separate the men from the boys. (They forgot to move Phil to the seniors.) After 54 holes, DJ ended Saturday with a four-shot lead at 16 under par. DJ tied Jordan Spieth (2015) for the lowest score record after 54 holes. For the last 30 years, after 54 holes (3 rounds) no one has ever won the Masters who was out of the top five. Sunday was now all eyes on DJ. This was his tournament to win or lose.

DJ has the reputation that he doesn’t care due to his lack of emotion. You can argue it’s a strength or a weakness. His lack of public display of affection for golf is mental strength most athletes could only dream of. (I’m not going to relive the tournaments he should have won or he tied for second or a grounding in bunker rule that would crush the souls of grown men. No, Dad, no one cares how many times Phil has shit his pants in the U.S. Open.) The point is, DJ bounced back and has been very successful. (Phil hasn’t won since his last 2013 Open meltdown.) DJ is a different breed. Maybe he’s not the most marketable personality, but there’s no one who can leave the past in the past and continue to move forward like DJ can.

Sunday’s final round started with a slight fog delay. DJ shot back-to-back bogeys on holes 4 and 5 (his first  and only bogeys of the tournament) and his lead was cut to one. We’ve seen this movie too many times. But I didn’t panic. DJ hasn’t shot over par in almost nine months. He has more confidence than I’ve ever seen him have. He didn’t look worried at all. DJ birdied on the 6th and he never lost the lead. Three birdies in a row on holes, 13, 14 and 15 gave DJ a 5 shot lead and he became the first ever to reach 20 under par in Masters history. DJ would par the final three holes and tied the lowest score to par in a Major Championship history with 20 in 2020. It was the largest margin of victory at the Masters since Tiger Woods in 1997.

Austin choked up and my allergies were showing too. DJ WON THE MASTERS! Then, we knew it was really 2020 as DJ struggled to get words out, but his raw emotions said everything.

DJ grew up a little over an hour from Augusta, GA in Columbia, SC. Growing up, DJ dreamed of playing in the Masters and Tiger Woods putting the Green Jacket on him. On Sunday, the world of golf witnessed that even in 2020, dreams can come true.

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