Mom Nature pounded Pebble Beach with 60mph winds and driving rain on Sunday forcing the tournaments final round to be delayed until Monday.  Unfortunately more rain fell Monday causing the cancellation of the final round allowing Dustin Johnson to collect his second victory in his last nine starts.  “I’ve never won a tournament in tennis shoes,” said Mr. Johnson, who came to the course to collect his trophy, thank the rain-soaked volunteers and grasp the timing of his great week, even if he only got in three rounds. 

If a tie game is like kissing your sister, then winning a rain shortened event resembles Dennis Rodman marrying Carmen Electra,  yeah it happened but no one knew it until after the fact.  I wonder how much sleep Mr. Johnson lost between Saturday night and Monday morning.  Going to bed with a four shot lead might not be all that bad, but getting up and not being able to play might get into my head.  Having to do it all over again would be a complete mind muck up.  Then you find out you won without hitting a shot.  Where’s the celebration in that?  Oh yeah,  taking that great big $1 million plus dollar check to the bank would be celebration enough.

Mr. Johnson played his final round at Poppy Hills where he just owned the par 5’s.  He had eagle putts on three of the five par 5’s and shot a 67.  Mike Weir finished four shots back at 205.  This would have been his second time in the final group in the last four years.  Even though he didn’t play but three rounds his check was a mere $658,000.  Nice work if you can get it. 

Mr. Johnson’s second win came in his 36th start.  Anthony Kim needed 42 tournaments and Camilo Villegas needed 87, to put that accomplishment in perspective.  He and Mr. Kim are the only players under 25 years old with two wins.  “Obviously, I’ve proved myself to be just as good as they are,” Johnson said. “Anthony is a great player. He’s a good friend of mine, and he’s done great things in the last two years. Just to be mentioned with them is an honor. I’m just looking forward to the rest of the year and proving myself a little more.”

I’m looking forward to the rest of the year as well.  When Mr. Kim returns from collecting those huge appearance fees for playing overseas it’ll be a whole lot of entertaining to witness these players mature.  After Tiger Woods returns we’ll see what kind of game they bring to the course.  The Tour needs some personalities to develop and provide high theater on the scale of the 2008 U.S. Open.