Feature
I think it’s a great thing.
It’s a lot of new blood,
young guys. I’m not
saying the older guys
are out by any means,
but I think we’re making
our presence a little bit
more known.
- Rickie Fowler
Rickie Fowler
stood. There was a small fi st pump, then
some congratulatory hugs with his caddie,
agent and girlfriend before heading to
the scoring area. “We tried to enjoy it as
much as we could,” said Richard Elliott,
Koepka’s caddie. “We really just tried
to keep our minds in the game and soak
it up a little bit.” Then again, Koepka
isn’t a wear-his-emotions-on-his-sleeve
individual. Sound familiar? Johnson plays
with a similar demeanor, and demonstrated
it last year at Oakmont (Pa.) Country
Club, playing the fi nal eight holes with the
threat of a one-stroke penalty for his ball
moving on the fi fth green. He still won by
three strokes. Koepka appeared cool all the
way around Erin Hills on Sunday, hitting
massive drives, with all but two fi nding the
wide fairways. He led the championship in
greens hit (62 of 72) and fi nished fourth in
fairways hit (49 of 56), a solid formula for
winning a USGA championship.
Dustin Johnson won’t have to worry
about a penalty during the U.S. Open
at Erin Hills this week like the one he
incurred in the fi nal round of the 2016
championship at Oakmont Country Club.
The rule that affected Johnson and
caused a controversy has since been
altered.
On Dec. 8, the United States Golf
Association and the Royal & Ancient
Golf Club enacted a local rule that
eliminates penalties when the ball
is accidentally moved on the putting
green. It went into effect Jan. 1.
Dustin Johnson
GolfPlus
JULY
2017
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