Dustin Johnson Thinks the Chambers Bay Greens Cost Him the U.S. Open

[Mac62]

What cost him the open was him missing multiple makeable putts on the back 9 Sunday. Can't blame the greens when he missed about 5 he should have sunk. Everyone else putted there.

It goes back to the same kind of thing I've heard many NFL coaches say after games in which they lost by a last-minute missed field goal or TD pass - variations of "We shouldn't have put ourselves in the position of being 3 points behind with 5 seconds left on the clock in the first place."

Dustin had plenty of other opportunities to make up ground/seize the lead, just as everybody else did.  He can't put it all on one stroke out of the 276 strokes he made during the entire tournament.  The bottom line is that somewhere in the course of those four days he needed to cut two strokes off that 276, and he didn't.  Everybody else putted on the exact same greens he did, so he can't possibly think there was anything unfair about it.

[stogiesnbogies]

Methinks, 'tis  rather bush league and whiney to blame the greens.....as Rory aptly pointed out - "They all had to putt on them."

Time for DJ to put his big boy pants on and admit that he three putted from 12 feet .....no one else is to blame.

[MyrtleBeachGolf]

It goes back to the same kind of thing I've heard many NFL coaches say after games in which they lost by a last-minute missed field goal or TD pass - variations of "We shouldn't have put ourselves in the position of being 3 points behind with 5 seconds left on the clock in the first place."  Dustin had plenty of other opportunities to make up ground/seize the lead, just as everybody else did.  He can't put it all on one stroke out of the 276 strokes he made during the entire tournament.  The bottom line is that somewhere in the course of those four days he needed to cut two strokes off that 276, and he didn't.  Everybody else putted on the exact same greens he did, so he can't possibly think there was anything unfair about it.

I don't think he ever said there was anything "unfair" about it. If the greens were in bad shape, then he can complain if he wants. No one is saying that others had an unfair advantage over him. Yes, they all had to putt on crappy greens. But that doesn't mean he can't express his displeasure with the condition of the putting surface. It's a pretty standard assumption that poor condition greens would level the playing field. If the greens were fast and true, the better putters would rise to the top. When the greens are shaggy and bumpy, everyone had an equal chance of getting one to fall. He never said that it was "unfair", he merely stated that he thought the poor condition of the greens cost him the championship. He struggled from inside 10' all day on Sunday (aside from #17)....maybe he really was having trouble with the subpar green conditions. Also, not everyone had the same conditions. It was obvious that as the day went on, the greens became tougher to putt on. The guys who played later in the day had a much tougher time with the greens. (And yes, I realize Jordan played late in the day).

[stogiesnbogies]

Please do remember that not everyone plays under the same conditions in any tournament as the morning tee times often have advantage over PM tee times....in any event, methinks it's poor form for DJ to mouth off after 3 putting a 12 footer- sour grapes if you will -I doubt he'd said a word had he won, eh?  LOL......if you recall Rory made a serious charge mid Sunday but then also missed putts and fell back yet again.....he didn't blame the greens, the golf gods or his putter....."We all have to putt on them" were his wise words....

[NJpatbee]

From what I could tell watching on television, the greens were so bad that I would fault the hosts for not getting them in better shape for the US Open.  But all the golfers played on the same crummy greens and had the same disadvantage.  I believe it is true that Justin would have made birdie on better greens, but then again every other golfer's score would probably be different.