The Masters came at the perfect time, didn’t it?
With apologies to the National Football League, U.S. college football, the MLS, European soccer leagues and auto racing, which are all in the thick of their respective campaigns, The Masters provided sports fans with a unique new experience.
While this year’s quest for the green jacket at Augusta National was nestled amongst a number of other sporting events, one of golf’s four major championships overshadowed everything else.
Normally held in early April, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the PGA Tour to move The Masters to this past weekend, and what a great fit it was.
From 63-year-old, two-time champion, Bernhard Langer becoming the oldest player to make the cut to Canadian Corey Connors’ tying for 10th place (and booking a spot in next year’s Masters), and defending champion Tiger Woods ending his tournament with four straight birdies after a career-worst plus-10 at the par-3, 12th hole, all four rounds offered a compelling tale.
However, Dustin Johnson’s scintillating performance over all four rounds, finishing with a record-breaking scorecard of 20 under par to claim his first green jacket, stole the spotlight.
Dustin Johnson is the first player in Masters history to reach 20 under par. #themasters pic.twitter.com/6X48I5q1xs
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 15, 2020
The No. 1 ranked golfer in the world shot rounds of 65, 70, 65 and 68 — taking advantage of a wet and slower course over the first two rounds and continuing his dazzling dominance of Augusta amid near perfect conditions in rounds 3 and 4 — to win by five strokes.
Having won the U.S. Open in 2016, the 36-year-old Johnson is now halfway to achieving the career grand slam and he always seems to be a threat to win every event he enters.
The pressure of Sunday at Augusta often rattles the best golfers on the planet, but Johnson — who should be considered as one of the greatest players of his generation — closed the door on the rest of the field with championship mettle and is finally a Masters champion.
Rick Zamperin is the assistant program, news and senior sports director at Global News Radio 900 CHML.