The First Look: Barracuda Championship

OVERVIEW What a phenomenon Dustin Johnson has become. He’s now up to 19 PGA TOUR titles after another three-win season and if you expect he won’t reach at least 20 in 2019, then we’d love to sell you a bridge. With at least one victory in every full season he’s played on the PGA TOUR, Johnson is a sure-fire contender every time he tees it up. An incredible 10 wins have come in the last three seasons, and he also chalked up his first major, leaving him with one more clear goal … a FedExCup. For 10 straight seasons Johnson has made it through to East Lake but failed to go home with the season-long trophy. He’s had his destiny in his own hands for the last three seasons but has been unable to convert. And so this remains on his radar. He also wants more majors. He might not come out and say things directly. He might make you try to believe he doesn’t really care that much. But don’t be fooled. Johnson wants to win. And he wants to win often. He started last season saying an eight-win season is still an attainable goal despite the last one coming from Tiger Woods in 2006. Lofty hopes ensure his motivation remains high. He also has had to watch as gym partner Brooks Koepka has captured three majors in two years – further motivation. In his last five seasons on TOUR, DJ has ranked sixth, fifth, first, seventh and first in scoring average … incredible stuff. He is far from just a bomber – with his wedge game one of the deadliest in the world to go with his bashing efforts off the tee. Oh – and those who claimed he still can’t putt that well? He was 25th in Strokes Gained: Putting last season. — By Ben Everill Click here to see who else made the Top 30 list. BY THE NUMBERS FEDEXCUP UPDATE Current 2018-19 position: 146th Playoff appearances: 10 TOUR Championship appearances: 10 Best FedExCup result: 2nd in the 2015-16 season SHOTLINK FUN FACT Since the start of the 2015-16 PGA TOUR season, Dustin Johnson has won 16 percent of all his starts (10 of 63) and has finished inside the top 10 in 56 percent of his starts in that span. INSIDER INSIGHTS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Dustin Johnson in 2019. TOUR INSIDER: It is pretty tough to find a weakness in Johnson’s game both statistically and mentally. His worst ranking in the five main Strokes Gained metrics was 33rd last season and he led in two of them. His memory is short – meaning when he does have a bad day, he can let it go quickly and move on without scars. — By Ben Everill FANTASY INSIDER: You don’t need me or my analysis on this one. My only advice would be to remind you to set a lineup with him in it before any deadline. Rips off at least one win per season – that’s harder than he makes it appear – and has totaled 10 in the last three. All that’s missing on the résumé that can be achieved this season is a FedExCup title. The gold medal in the Olympics, should he happen to qualify, will have to wait until 2020. — By Rob Bolton EQUIPMENT INSIDER: DJ was playing a TaylorMade Spider Tour Black for a while, and it seemed to be his answer on the greens. That is no longer. At the tail end of 2018, Dustin was switching between TaylorMade and Scotty Cameron putters, blade and mallet style, insert and no insert, and conventional and cross-handed. Most recently, Dustin was spotted using a TaylorMade Black Copper blade-style putter with a red Surlyn insert, but with his propensity to switch putters on a whim, nothing is certain for 2019. Also, it seemed prior to 2018 that Dustin Johnson would never switch from his Fujikura Speeder 661 Evolution II Tour spec shaft. But ahead of the 2018 U.S. Open, he switched into a Project X HZRDUS Black 85-gram shaft. He’s since switched back to the Speeder, but it’s something to keep an eye on in 2019. — By Andrew Tursky STYLE INSIDER: DJ has elevated his style game over the past two years and it all started with a better understanding of modern fits. His pants feature a slight taper below the knee and are hemmed to just sweep the tops of his shoes. This gives his signature monochromatic kits a smooth and streamlined look. — By Greg Monteforte

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SAN ANTONIO – Andrew Landry’s mother wore a golf shirt Sunday that displayed the 2016 U.S. Open logo. It was an interesting choice, given that her son became the Cinderella story at Oakmont until reality hit in the form of a final-round 78. But Patricia Landry said there was no hidden meaning to her wardrobe selection. No attempt to exorcise demons from that final day or reanimate good vibes from those first three rounds when Andrew played his way into the last twosome of his only major start. “I kept the baby last night,â€� she explained, referring to Andrew’s son Brooks, whom wife Elizabeth gave birth to a month ago. “I got up, took a shower, just put on my clothes, whatever I had. Nothing particular.â€� On Sunday, Andrew Landry again found himself in the final group. This time was different. This time, he delivered the winning performance, shooting a 4-under 68 to win the Valero Texas Open by two strokes over Sean O’Hair and Trey Mullinax. It’s the first PGA TOUR win in 32 starts for Landry, the Texas native who starred in college at Arkansas. On the surface, that doesn’t seem like a lot of starts for a first-time winner, but the road to get to this point has been paved with plenty of heartbreaking moments. There was the 2009 NCAA Championship, when Landry rallied from 4 down with five holes to play before losing his match when Texas A&M’s Bronson Burgoon nearly holed his approach on the 18th hole. There was Oakmont, when Landry – then ranked No. 624 in the world — grabbed the lead with an opening 66, and then told dad Dwain that he was going to win the tournament. For two more rounds, Landry kept his promise … until midnight struck in the final round and he did a free-fall down the leaderboard into a tie for 15th. Then there was the CareerBuilder Challenge earlier this season, when Landry birdied the 18th to force a playoff with Jon Rahm, only to lose when Rahm birdied the fourth extra hole. Lots of golfers develop scar tissue. For Landry, those were the learning moments that paid off Sunday at TPC San Antonio. “I think that all those kinds of things really help every player whenever you get in a situation and you fail and you continue to fail,â€� Landry said. “You’re learning every single time. “Oakmont definitely did help me. It helped me on how to control my pace and the way my swing is and how important I walk, how that can lead into my golf swing.â€� Landry’s brother Adam has been there every step of the way, and he was among the large contingent of family members who greeted and hugged Andrew on the 18th green. No one, however, was shedding more tears of joy than Adam. “It’s been a long time coming,â€� Adam said. “I’ve watched all the trials and tribulations what he’s gone through, the highs and the lows. There was no Plan B for him. There was only this.â€� Referring to his brother’s previous heartbreaks, Adam noted, “Stuff like that will cripple people. It’ll make you want to quit, failing back and forth – but he continuously figured out a way to find his way to the top.â€� Perhaps hardships are easier to deal with when you’ve learned the game on a hardscrabble environment. The nine-hole Pea Patch course in Landry’s hometown of Port Neches-Groves, Texas, was hardly a country club-type of set-up. But it proved useful in developing the kind of skills that can thrive on Texas courses. “I learned the bump and run – obviously didn’t show on No. 11,â€� laughed Landry, referring to his lone bogey when his chip from the rough finished in the fringe. Landry isn’t the only PGA TOUR pro with a Pea Patch heritage. Chris Stroud also grew up on the course. “It’s funny that we have two TOUR players that played from a nine-hole goat ranch, seriously,â€� Andrew said. “It’s pretty amazing that both of us got out … We had good players to play with. It was crazy – you could be on the PGA TOUR and a guy in Crocs could beat you. I’m not lying.â€� “It’s where you learn your chipping and your putting,â€� added Dwain said while waiting for his son to emerge from the scoring trailer. Dwain was trying to keep calm, just as he did all afternoon, even though he was “pretty nervous.â€� But you could tell the fatherly pride was wanting to burst out. “We’ve always had faith in him,â€� Dwain said. “We knew his day was going to come. We always told him, just patience. When it’s your turn, it’s going to be your turn. He was calm and focused all day.â€� He was certainly focused when he started his final round with three birdies to separate from playing partners Mullinax and Zach Johnson. And he was certainly calm on the back nine. After he bogeyed the 11th, he missed two birdie putts inside 5 feet on the 12th and 14th holes that could have given him breathing room. Holding a one-stroke lead over Mullinax for most of the back nine, he never panicked. It was Mullinax, also seeking his first TOUR win, who finally flinched with a bogey at 17. As Andrew walked up the 18th fairway, his brother began to cry. Mom and dad were hugging. Elizabeth was holding the baby – and trying to hold it all together. Their home is just an hour away in Austin. Getting his first win in Texas seems appropriate. And deserved. “I tell him all the time – his relentless pursuit of his dream is truly inspiring,â€� Adam Landry said. “This is just the fruits of all that labor. “I’m very proud of him. Proud to call him my brother – but more important, proud for what he stands for and who he is. He’s a good man.â€� And now he’s a TOUR winner. Expect Patricia Landry to wear a Valero Texas Open shirt sometime in the future.

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Harold Varner III … All you ever needed to know about his spirit was realized in the wake of a closing 81 at the PGA Championship where he settled for a share of 36th place but admitted enjoying just being on the scene for the experience. In the context of the opportunity lost, it didn’t hurt that his 2019-20 card was locked up months ago. Currently 85th in points, his most recent of eight top 25s this season was a T21 at the Travelers Championship where he ranked seventh strokes gained: putting and fifth in scrambling. Amid a heater en route to a solo sixth at last year’s JDC, he missed on only three of 71 attempts inside 10 feet. Vaughn Taylor … Continues to flourish at 43 years of age. He’s 6-for-6 with three top 20s since the Wells Fargo Championship. Finished fourth three weeks ago at TPC River Highlands where he paced the field in proximity to the hole and ranked second in putting: birdies-or-better. Sits T9 on TOUR in proximity, fifth in strokes gained: putting, fifth in red numbers (49) and T4 in sub-70s (T37). And since his debut at TPC Deere Run in 2004, he’s 8-for-12 with four top 20s. His scoring average in his last eight loops around the track is 68.125. J.T. Poston … Still having trouble finding the handle in final rounds, but the third-year talent out of Western Carolina University puts himself in position often enough that he’s bound to connect at some point. His most recent bit of unfinished business stung him in his last start at the Rocket Mortgage Classic two weeks ago. After sitting alone in second place through 54 holes, he stumbled home in 73 to finish T11. In his two previous appearances at TPC Deere Run, he’s beaten par in each of the first three rounds but closed with 73 both times. One of these days, something he throws against the wall is going to stick and it might as well be a spot where he keeps coming back for more. Dominic Bozzelli … Because he’s navigating just his third season on the PGA TOUR, the 28-year-old can’t be labeled as a horse for a course just yet, but TPC Deere Run is first in line if he reaches the stable. Both of his appearances resulted in top 25s and his scoring average in those eight rounds is 68.00. The only other event at which he’s recorded multiple top 25s (of seven others in all) is the Desert Classic where he has a pair of fifth-place finishes. And why not? The correlation between the two events is a shootout and he can roll it with the best of ’em. Currently ninth on TOUR in strokes gained: putting and 12th in putting: birdies-or better. Dylan Frittelli … The 29-year-old has been feeling the heat all season. While 153rd in the FedExCup and under pressure to secure conditional status as a safety net for next season, there have been rumblings of late that he’s ready to pop. After a T46 in Detroit, he sat T9 entering the final round in Minnesota, only to plummet to another T46 with a Sunday 73 due to a tee-to-green game that abandoned him. Yet, he ranked 13th in strokes gained: tee-to-green for the week and he’s 41st on TOUR in the stat this season. So, he might be close and he has the bonus of being able to tap into the experience of a pair of European Tour victories just two years ago. NOTE: Sleeper is a relative term, so Rob uses unofficial criteria to determine who qualifies. Each of the following usually is determined to be ineligible for this weekly staple: Winners of the tournament on the current host course; winners in the same season; recent major champions; top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; recent participants of team competitions.

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