Through two days at the US Open, Dustin Johnson has looked like his old self, hitting booming drives, flagging approach shots and rolling in putts. But there’s one place where the two-time major champion doesn’t look like a former world No.1: Shinnecock Hills’ bunkers.
Johnson finished his first round on Friday morning (New York time) with a pair of birdies that gave him an opening 66. And he was still four-under after a birdie on the 10th hole during his second round. And then his wheels got caught in Shinnecock’s sand.
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DJ left a shot in a greenside bunker on the 11th, leading to a double-bogey. Then after back-to-back bogeys on the next two holes, he came completely undone on the par-4 15th. Johnson missed the green with his approach, then went from one greenside bunker to another when he misjudged his third shot. But that was nothing compared to what happened next.
First, Johnson left a shot in the bunker. Then, he bladed one over the green. It was a shocking clinic on what not to do in the sand. See for yourself:
Shinnecock's bunkers are giving DJ a brutally tough go today. pic.twitter.com/5ntILj4Ruy
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 19, 2026
Just a wild sequence that led, eventually, to Johnson holing a four-footer for a quadruple-bogey. To his credit, he also looked like his old self in staying completely steady throughout. And he birdied the next hole. But it’s hard to envision him winning major No.3 after seeing him make that 8.
