Golfer Dustin Johnson seeks redemption at Aronimink

Time does heal all wounds. At least it appears that way for Dustin Johnson.

Nine days removed from his meltdown at the U.S. Open, Johnson met with reporters Tuesday at Aronimink Golf Club to discuss this week's AT&T National. He faced his share of questions regarding his implosion at Pebble Beach.

"It was a tough day," Johnson said, "but golfers have tough days, and it's how quick you can get over those that's the best part."

Coming off a weeklong break as he celebrated his 26th birthday, Johnson looked relaxed, even as he was pressed to explain the course of events that led him to surrender a 3-stroke lead over the final 18 holes at the Open.

He shot a triple bogey on the second hole, a double bogey on the third, and a bogey on the fourth as his chances of winning his first major quickly dissolved.

"I got off to a rough start," he said. "Turning into the back nine, though . . . I knew if I could get some good looks, maybe make a birdie on one of those holes, that I'd be right back in the golf tournament."

It never panned out that way.

Johnson fired an 82, his worst score as a pro, and finished tied for eighth. It was the highest score in the U.S. Open by a 54-hole leader in nearly 100 years.

Now it's on to the AT&T National, where the South Carolina native is looking for a fresh start. The tournament begins Thursday.

The AT&T National's defending champion, Tiger Woods, praised Johnson for his latest efforts, saying he has not lost confidence in the South Carolina native.

"He has the talent and the game to give himself that type of lead at a U.S. Open," Woods said. "There's no reason why he can't do that again and finish it off. It's just a matter of picking yourself up and doing it again."

Greg Norman certainly understands Johnson's struggles. In the 1996 Masters, the Australian suffered one of golf's most memorable letdowns when he entered the final round ahead by 6 strokes and wound up losing to Nick Faldo by 5.

Norman was among several of Johnson's friends who called during the last week to lend words of encouragement.

"All of them told me that they learned more from cases [when] they'd lose . . . than they did from when they'd win," Johnson said. "Golf is a learning process, nonstop. You know, there's a lot of things I think I can take from that Sunday."

Spending a week away from competition, Johnson had time to reflect on that. Now in the AT&T National, he will try to redeem himself.

"I generally recover very well," he said. "After a bad hole, I come back and play the next few very well. . . . It never really rattles me or bothers me if I have a bad hole."

Or, apparently, a string of miscues.

Thursday offers a chance to test those healed wounds.

Here are some long drivers on the PGA Tour who are competing this week at the AT&T National at Aronimink:

Robert Garrigus averages 308.3 yards per drive. He has not played enough PGA rounds to be ranked.

Dustin Johnson averages 304.5 yards per drive. He is second to Bubba Watson's 305.9 on the PGA Tour.

Graham DeLaet and

J.B. Holmes average 302.4 yards per drive and are tied for fourth.

Andres Romero averages 298.8 yards per drive and is ranked eighth.

D.J. Trahan averages 295.9 yards per drive and is ranked 10th.

- Mario Aguirre

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