Dustin Johnson has confirmed that the end of his professional golf career is on the horizon as he reveals he has a clear timeline for retirement ahead of the 2025 U.S Open at Oakmont, Pennsylvania.
The former world No. 1 made his professional debut back in 2007 and had been a stable of the PGA Tour ever since until 2022, after going on to win the 2016 U.S Open and The Masters in 2020.
He then made a controversial switch to Saudi Arabia’s LIV Golf and continues his professional career, but that might not be the story for much longer.
“I think I’ve got another six years in me,” Johnson said to reporters on Tuesday, June 10. “I can grind for another six years.
“And then I’m going fishing.”
Johnson made it clear that his time in competitive golf is winding down and he’s looking to close out his career on his terms, although his recent performances have fallen short of his earlier dominance.
Despite occasional flashes of form, such as his 10th-place finish at LIV Golf’s Virginia event last week, Dustin has not cracked the top three in any of his last 20 LIV starts.
In major championships, the results have been even more concerning: he has missed the cut in five of his last seven, including both the Masters and PGA Championship this year. Still, the 40-year-old maintains that the competitive fire hasn’t gone out.
“I feel like my game’s been really close,” Johnson said of his recent struggles. “It was definitely nice to have a nice finish last week.
“I played good every day. You know, still kind of giving away some shots. I need to clean that up a little bit. I want to get back. I know I’ve still got it.”
As he returns to Oakmont, the site of his breakthrough major win in 2016, he does so not as the overwhelming favorite but as a veteran attempting to summon one last surge before stepping away. Can he deliver?
Johnson’s famous U.S Open win: How did he do it?
That 2016 U.S. Open victory remains one of the most talked-about in recent memory, due in part to the confusion surrounding a penalty ruling during the final round. Despite playing the last seven holes uncertain of his standing, Johnson still came out on top.
Officials had ruled he might have caused his ball to move on the fifth green but delayed the decision but he kept his cool and remained composed, finishing with a 69. He was assessed a one-stroke penalty after the round but still secured a three-shot victory anyway.
It was his first major championship win and the realisation of a dream at Oakmont, and he went on to find further glory with that 2020 Masters win too. He also finished second at the PGA Championship in 2019 and 2020, and second at the British Open in 2011.
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