Is Dustin Johnson the Greg Norman of our time?

Ethan

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I like him a lot, clearly a great golfer, long straight driver, wins lots of regular events, deservedly world number 1, but seems to have a weakness when it comes to the biggest events.

Some of it could be said to be bad luck, other failures a different frailty. Might well rally and win the Masters, but at this stage seems to be taking on water.
 

Imurg

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He's certainly not the well oiled machine of the last 3 days..
Errors creeping in and, to be honest, as good as he's been the first 3 days he was "only" 4 in front.
As we've seen, 4 shots can go in an instant.
In the bunker again now and every error is going to knock the confidence a little more
Touch and go at the moment and comparisons with Norman are inevitable if he fails today.
 

MarkT

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In some ways though one seemed to over-think everything while you probably couldn't really say that about Johnson
 
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If he gets a second major just like Norman did then I’m sure he will be delighted but any comparisons surely should wait until the event has actually finished
 

Ethan

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No my thoughts are it's an extremely difficult sport, he is world number one in easily the most competitive era ever, and people sitting at home are slagging him off from their armchair and don't even get his name right.

Pardon me for commenting on golf in a forum for commenting on golf. I am sure you have never commented about another golfer nor used an accepted alternative spelling. I think Jack Nicklaus might debate whether it is easily the most competitive era ever.
 

Lord Tyrion

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DJ isn't imploding. He's allowed to be nervous, who wouldn't be, but he is holding it together now.

It looks like the only one who can catch him is Smith and he is currently inspired. Smith may win but whether DJ helps him we will only know at the end.
 

Fish

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He's certainly not the well oiled machine of the last 3 days..
Errors creeping in and, to be honest, as good as he's been the first 3 days he was "only" 4 in front.
As we've seen, 4 shots can go in an instant.
In the bunker again now and every error is going to knock the confidence a little more
Touch and go at the moment and comparisons with Norman are inevitable if he fails today.

Yep, his course management, especially yesterday was excellent, but today he seems reckless at times, trying to close it out too early, when if he adopted the same game plan as yesterday, he’d walk it.

Unless he makes a major error that costs him at least double, I think he’ll hold on, but the Aussie is hot on his heels ?
 

Billysboots

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He’s one under through eight. Looking down the board, scoring is clearly not as easy as it has been.

The fact that his lead has been halved is hardly indicative of him imploding!
 

Ethan

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Greg Norman didn't always implode. Sometimes he was caught by players who played really well or holed a critical shot, Tway holing the bunker shot at the 18th, for example. Norman had 30 top 10s in majors, with 2 wins, last one at age 38. DJ has 19 top 10s, with 1 win, now aged 36.
 

Lord Tyrion

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Greg Norman didn't always implode. Sometimes he was caught by players who played really well or holed a critical shot, Tway holing the bunker shot at the 18th, for example. Norman had 30 top 10s in majors, with 2 wins, last one at age 38. DJ has 19 top 10s, with 1 win, now aged 36.
Fair point, guilty m'lud. We tend to associate norman with implosion but he also suffered some really harsh breaks against him.

Your question then has two angles to it, one he can control and one he can't ?.
 

Ethan

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Fair point, guilty m'lud. We tend to associate norman with implosion but he also suffered some really harsh breaks against him.

Your question then has two angles to it, one he can control and one he can't ?.

That is always the case, though. Every good player has had events where they played well but someone played better, Nicklaus v Watson in 1977, for example.
 
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