Tour News
Z. Johnson wins at Colonial in Hogan style
By Michael Williams
GolfWRX Staff Writer
The list of golfers who idolize Ben Hogan is a long one. There is hardly a player amateur or pro who at some time has not incorporated Hogan’s legendary “Five Fundamentals’ instruction book in an attempt to capture some of Hogan’s legendary ball-striking ability.
Zach Johnson is a Hogan disciple, and this week he has added to his record of success at one of Hogan’s favorite Tour destinations, winning the 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational by one stroke over Jason Dufner. Johnson collected his second championship at historic Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, a venue that Hogan conquered a record five times.
Johnson’s swing is a testament to Hogan’s method. Johnson’s is a modified version of Hogan’s compact action, with a one-piece takeaway, right elbow tucked tightly to the rib cage on the downswing and a crisp follow through designed to hit fairways and greens with numbing regularity. Johnson is also similar in stature to the Hawk, and that makes the similarities that much more striking. He even wears his golf shirts buttoned-up to the neck just like Hogan. He stops short of using persimmon woods and smoking Chesterfields, but otherwise Johnson is faithful in his tribute to the great Texan.
Like Hogan, the 36-year old Johnson is a product of the Midwest, born and raised in Iowa. He played all sports as a boy but he found something special when he took up golf at the age of 10. By his own admission he was never the best player on his high school or college teams (Drake University), but as he noted after winning the 2007 Masters, “[I] just keep getting better every year.”
A member of the PGA Tour since 2004, Johnson has carved out a place of respect amongst his peers. He now has eight wins on tour, most notably the aforementioned Masters where he outlasted Hall of Famers Tiger Woods and Retief Goosen to become first player outside the top 50 in the world rankings to win the Masters in the history of the ranking. Johnson has also been a part of two Ryder Cup teams and is a solid bet to be a member of his third later this year.
By any measure, Johnson has had great success in his professional career. But the one thing that is more solid than Johnson’s swing is his faith. A devout Christian, Johnson is quick to give credit to the man upstairs after every win. He has a Bible scripture on his ball along with the words “Trust Your Line”, and he is known to recite scripture on the course to calm himself. As it happened, he needed a little divine intervention on Sunday when his failure to replace his ball properly resulted in a two-shot penalty that could easily have cost him the tournament. Johnson acknowledged the gaffe with the same self-deprecating manner that makes him a favorite among fans and among his peers.
There are of course differences in the two men. While he is focused on the course, he does not have the legendary concentration of Hogan (other than vintage Tiger, who does?). And he also lacks Hogan’s frosty demeanor off the course; on the contrary is known for always having a kind or encouraging word, signing autographs until the fans stop asking and for his stellar charity work with kids in the community. A Google search for negative quotes or controversy about Johnson returns 0 results. Johnson is a golfer second, and a good man first. He is focused mainly on being a loving husband and father, and a model citizen on and off the course.
In the final comparison of Johnson and Hogan, you would always choose Hogan as your playing partner. But if you were choosing a neighbor or a friend, Zach Johnson would get the nod every time.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.
The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.
GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Ben Taylor – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Paul Barjon – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Joe Sullivan – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Wilson Furr – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Willman – SoTex PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Jimmy Stanger – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Rickie Fowler – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Harrison Endycott – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Vince Whaley – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Kevin Chappell – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Christian Bezuidenhout – WITB (mini) – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Scott Gutschewski – WITB – 2024 Valero Texas Open
Pullout Albums
- Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Ben Taylor with new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Swag cover – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Greyson Sigg’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Davis Riley’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Josh Teater’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hzrdus T1100 is back – – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Mark Hubbard testing ported Titleist irons – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Tyson Alexander testing new Titleist TRS 2 wood – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Hideki Matsuyama’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Valero Texas Open
- Cobra putters – 2024 Valero Texas Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Players Championship
On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.
We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.
Check out our photos below!
Pullout Albums
- New Titleist 2 wood – 2024 The Players Championship
- Cam Young testing Titleist’s new 2-wood – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Hole Nos. 17 and 18 – 2024 THE PLAYERS Championship
- Toulon Small Batch Texas putter – 2024 The Players Championship
- Swag Golf custom headcovers – 2024 The Players Championship
- New Ping PLD staff bags – 2024 The Players Championship
- SuperStroke St. Patrick’s Day putter grip – 2024 The Players Championship
- Taylor Montgomery using PuttView X training goggles – 2024 The Players Championship
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steve-o
Jan 4, 2013 at 3:05 pm
I’d like to have Hogan live on one side, and Johnson live on the other. By most accounts Hogan was a very personal man who came up the hard way, without his father and in a very tough world. If he was ‘frosty’ he probably was tired of everyone wanting a piece of him. Hogan wasn’t sponsored, he had to work a second (first?) job as a club pro in the early stages of his career, and probably made less in his entire career than Johnson made in an average season. With 9 majors and 2 years in service during WW2, not to mention 4th on the all-time winning list. I don’t see too many guys on tour signing up for military service. And Hogan did establish his own company, putting many to work, crafting what many feel were the best clubs available. Oh, and that little book of his that taught millions how he plays the game. Best selling book on golf of all time, I believe. He may not have Johnson’s affable nature but I sure wouldn’t mind living next to him. BTW, I think tiger could have used a little more of Hogan’s concentration on the course. Off the course, too.
Marty
May 27, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Wow. Kick the guy while he’s… dead. I for one would choose Hogan over Johnson as a neighbor any day.