Despite His US Open Struggles, LIV Defector Dustin Johnson Divulged His Action Plan To Bag a Third Major Title: ‘Tomorrow, I Just Need To Roll in a Few…’

Published 06/18/2023, 4:51 AM EDT

Last month, LIV pro Brooks Koepka sent ripples through the golf community with a dominating win at the PGA Championship. Koepka’s feat was a big win for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, which was then entangled in an ugly battle with rival tours.

Since LIV’s success at Oak Hill, however, much has gone down in the golf world. In a shocking turn of events, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf announced their decision to bury the hatchet and form a new alliance. The merger not only dismayed many but has also cast a shadow over the ongoing US Open.

Amidst the rising chaos and confusion, LIV’s Dustin Johnson now has the chance to steal the thunder on the final day of the major. Ahead of the much-awaited Sunday final, the 2-time major winner reflected on his performance so far at the LACC.

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Dustin Johnson eyes third major win at 2023 US Open

As the US Open kicked off on Thursday, the low-scoring conditions at the venue saw Dustin Johnson shoot an impressive 6-under 64, resulting in him being two shots off the lead. But, the golfer’s second day got off to a horrid start as he ended up making a quadruple-bogey on the 2nd hole, his third in a major.

Nevertheless, the former World No. 1 fought back, making just one bogey in his remaining 16 holes to post a score of 70. Currently, the golfer is tied at the 6th position following a hard-fought 1-over 71 in the third round. Going into the final day of the major, Johnson will have to overcome a five-stroke deficit to win the title.

DJ (-5 after a 71) now 5 shots off the lead @usopengolf going into Sunday.
"Felt like I played well. Gave myself a lot of opportunities. Tomorrow, I just need to roll in a few more putts.
"Still, I'm in a really good position. Going to have to shoot a good number but with the… pic.twitter.com/Od5phIHVC5
— Mike McAllister (@thegolfeditor) June 18, 2023

Reflecting on his day three performance, the LIV golfer shared, “Felt like I played good, gave myself a lot of opportunities. Tomorrow, I’ll just need to roll in a few more putts.” He further went on to lay out his plans for the upcoming round, saying, “Going to have to shoot a good number but with the conditions the way they are, might not have to be too low. But going to have to shoot probably 4-, 5-under, 6-under.”

‘Bet It Months Ago’; Golf Fans Add Salt to Max Homa’s Wounds After a Disappointing Exit.

The 38-year-old isn’t the only LIV pro in the top 10. Past major winners Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith are currently tied at the 9th position on the leaderboard.

How have LIV golfers fared so far at the US Open?

When the 123rd US Open teed off at LACC, 15 golfers from LIV were part of the stacked 156-player field. After day two, ten of them remained. Phil Mickelson, who has been runner-up in the American Open a record six times, was among the most notable to miss the cut at the competition. Other LIV pros who failed to stay inside the cutline included 2014 US Open winner Martin Kaymer, Mito Pereira, Thomas Pieters, and Carlos Ortiz.

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So far, 2016 champion Dustin Johnson has fared the best at the competition as he is currently at T6 after rounds of 64-70-71. Meanwhile, on Saturday, Bryson DeChambeau shot a 2-under 68 to move to 3 under. He is tied at the 9th place with reigning British Open winner and fellow LIV compatriot Cam Smith, who shot a 71 to also stay at three under. At the end of the third round, DeChambeau was among the 11 golfers in the field who had carded a 68 or better.

This year, the US Open boasts a record prize purse of $20 million. The winner of the event will get to take home $3.6 million in earnings.

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Watch This Story: Against All the Odds LIV Golf Attains Yet Another Achievement Shortly After Their Massive $3,000,000,000 Triumph

Do you think Dustin Johnson will be able to nab the US Open title this year? Which golfer are you rooting for? Tell us in the comments below!

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Written by:

Abantika is a fresh writer at EssentiallySports who was chosen in the recent round of ‘ES Draft’ for her strong passion for golf writing. Even in her early days, Abantika has displayed an impressive ability to cover golf with gripping and insightful stories backed by thorough research. Her inspiration comes from the words of the legendary golfer and flag-bearer of the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy: "As long as I keep enjoying my golf, then hopefully I'll be able to play well," which motivates her to continue writing engaging pieces.

Edited by:

Prateek Srivastava

Despite His US Open Struggles, LIV Defector Dustin Johnson Divulged His Action Plan To Bag a Third Major Title: ‘Tomorrow, I Just Need To Roll in a Few…’

Dustin Johnson eyes third major win at 2023 US Open

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