‘Very Disappointed’: Golf World Reacts to Dustin Johnson’s Treatment at the Open Championship

Published 07/17/2022, 1:12 PM EDT

As with every other major championship, the LIV Golf players were allowed to play in the 150th Open Championship. While many league players played well in the tournament, Dustin Johnson stood out the most by finding a top place on the leaderboard. Yet, the broadcasting channel was disinterested in showing them play, and the golf world is not happy about it!

The two-time major champion opened the major with his impressive 4-under 68 in round 1. Johnson continued playing his best golf in the second round and finished with a 5-under 67. Furthermore, he scored a 1-under 71 in the third round and kept himself in the top 7 throughout the tournament.

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As a player who is in contention to win, DJ’s shots should have been telecasted. However, the channel kept ignoring him, and the golf world didn’t agree with this mentality.

Twitter fans demand the broadcasting channel to telecast DJ’s game!

Dustin Johnson is one of the first PGA Tour golfers to play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series’ first round. Notably, he had pledged allegiance to the American golf organization only a couple of months before he signed with the league. Furthermore, he had even resigned from the Tour before he teed up at the LIV Golf event.

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Since DJ left Tour for its rival league, many had shown hatred towards the golfer. However, the fans didn’t like that the broadcasting channel chose not to live telecast him playing during the Open Championship.

@NBCGolf @NBCGolfChannel – any reason why you are not showing any shots from Dustin Johnson???? Hmmmmmm. Be better than this @PaulAzinger @DanHicksNBC. Any reason you won’t put him on live leaderboard????? Hmmmmm
— Frank Almasy (@falmasy72) July 17, 2022

NBC Sports coverage of the Open Championship is conspiring against LIV golfers. Dustin Johnson has yet to be shown on the broadcast (4 strokes back of lead with 14 holes to play)
— Moundbuilder (@EThieroglyphs) July 17, 2022

A year ago Dustin Johnson would have each of his shots shown on TV. Now sitting 4 shots off the lead on the front and can’t get a sniff from the broadcast.
— Mike Lashlee (@Turf_Rx_22) July 17, 2022

The @NBCGolf coverage is going out of its way to minimize the great golf @DJohnsonPGA is playing. Grow up guys.
— Zachary Haines (@hainesforohio) July 16, 2022

@NBCSports we just pretending like Dustin Johnson isn’t in 5th?
I’d like to see him play. Thanks
— burrow is the best qb in AFC (@Heist4Dmb41) July 17, 2022

Dustin Johnson, one of the most popular golfers in the world, 4 shots off the lead at #TheOpen, and have not seen him once on TV today… yet we get Xander on the 17th hole out of the tournament missing a putt.
— Luke Huerta (@Luke_Huerta4) July 17, 2022

Some fans even claimed that the PGA Tour paid the broadcasting channel so they wouldn’t telecast the LIV Golf players’ best shots.

@NBCSports how much is the @PGATOUR paying you to not show any coverage of @DJohnsonPGA . Dude is in the top 5 of a major championship and not a single shot covered in the last hour. Very disappointed!
— Jonathan Orr (@jmo824) July 17, 2022

Still haven’t seen a single shot that Dustin Johnson has taken in the final round of @TheOpen. The @PGATOUR most likely has their fingers, eyes, and toes crossed he doesn’t win this tournament, it would throw the golf world into complete chaos and I’m here for it.
— Brock Day (@bdayz15) July 17, 2022

Is there a reason that @NBCSports is barely covering @DJohnsonPGA in it's #OpenChampionship coverage? I am getting ready to stop watching.
— P J Lopez (@PJLopez58) July 16, 2022

Do the people at NBC want a be a party in the DOJ's investigation of PGA anticompetitive practices related to LIV? Not showing @DJohnsonpga is crazy.
— marshallr43 (@marshallr43) July 17, 2022

Although many fans don’t like that Johnson joined the rival league, they disagree with him getting less screen time considering he is one of the top candidates. And they used Twitter to show their opposition.

Has Dustin Johnson ever won the Open Championship?

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The former world no. 1 began his professional journey in 2007. He has won more than 20 titles worldwide, including 2 majors, 6 World Golf Championships, and a FedEx Cup.

Although he has won two major tournaments throughout his career, none of them is the Open Championship. The closest he has reached to winning the event was in 2011 when he finished T2. He scored an overall 2-under, a three-shot deficit from the 2011 Open champion.

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The golf world had expressed its rage over DJ for joining the Saudi-backed league. However, the fans consider it unfair that the broadcasting channel takes away his spotlight when he deserves it. What are your thoughts on it?

Watch This Story: Dustin Johnson Faces a Major Setback for the First Time in 7 years

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Written by:

Anjana Prabhakaran is a Golf content writer at EssentiallySports. She has completed her Master's degree in Public Administration and considers researching as one of her hobbies. As her family is interested in sports, Anjana grew up watching every sport on television.

Edited by:

Manaal Siddiqui

‘Very Disappointed’: Golf World Reacts to Dustin Johnson’s Treatment at the Open Championship

Twitter fans demand the broadcasting channel to telecast DJ’s game!

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Has Dustin Johnson ever won the Open Championship?