Zach Johnson arrived at Troon as the champion golfer of 2015, but accepts it is his namesake Dustin who starts the week as the man to beat.
The 40-year-old defeated South African Louis Oosthuizen and Australian Marc Leishman in a four-hole play-off to claim his second major at St Andrews last year. However it is Dustin Johnson, the big-hitting American who made his major breakthrough at last month’s US Open before winning the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, who is the red-hot favourite to lift the Claret Jug in South Ayrshire this Sunday.
And the 2015 champion is not surprised so many are tipping his countryman for a second major victory.
He said: “He’s a supreme athlete and it just so happens that his sport for all of us, unfortunately, is golf. He is very talented. There are not many players who can do what he does, but what stands out for me is his short game’s way better than people give him credit for.
“Maybe he’s starting to figure out how to win more than he did before, but I’m not shocked or surprised by the situation.
“He’s just very good at the game of golf and it sounds like he has a good family and some stability outside the ropes.
“I’m one of his biggest admirers.
“I just like watching him play golf.”
Johnson triumphed 12 months ago in the Open that never looked like it was going to end after weather delays meant the championship finally finished on a Monday for only the second time in the tournament’s history.
The defending champion returned the Claret Jug to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club yesterday, which proved to be an emotional experience for Johnson. Breaking up is never easy to do and the American spoke to his sports psychologist, Dr Morris Pickens, about going through the process of returning the trophy to the event’s organisers ahead of trying to get his hands back on the Claret Jug this Thursday.
He said: “My thoughts are 100% positive in the sense that, I guess, technically I’m still champion golfer of the year. Secondly, this was the first venue I played in the Open and my love for it was immense and immediate. It’s my favourite major to play and I think I have embraced it.
“I have been talking to my sports psychologist Dr Mo about it and it’s not like I’ve got a one or two-shot lead when I tee it up on Thursday.
“I had to give the Claret Jug back, which I did. It was not pleasant but there’s still an opportunity to go out there and play. Last year was last year, and now I’m certainly excited for the week.
“It was great to have the Claret Jug for a portion of my life and giving it back was something I’ll never forget. I kind of parted ways emotionally with it at home so once I got to the formalities of it, it really wasn’t that difficult.
“It was bittersweet but more sweet. I guess a portion of that sweetness is I still have an opportunity to get it back myself.”
