One of the first things Dustin Johnson did in hosting the final preview press conference here at Whistling Straits was to ‘tounge in cheek’ thank the PGA of America.
You see, five years after ‘Bunkergate’ and there is a grandstand covering the majority of the bunker that cost Johnson victory in the 2010 PGA Championship.
“I don’t have to worry about the bunker this year, there’s a grand stand there. Thank You, PGA. I appreciate that!”
There’s 1,012 bunkers on this week’s Whistling Straits host venue including 109 on the eighth hole alone and that’s just three less in total on the Old Course at St. Andrews.
Dustin Johnson some 20 yards inside the spectator ropes at the 2010 PGA Championship and about to be handed a two stroke penalty.
In fact, it once took someone 11 hours over two days to count the sand traps on the course where course designer Pete Dye had 13,126 truckloads of sand hauled in.
But there’s just one with any notoriety and that’s ‘Johnson’s Bunker’ and the one located down the right side of the 18th where Johnson came to grief in 2010 and the last time Whistling Straits hosted a Major.
The bunker was located some 20-yards inside the spectator ropes and had been trampled by footprints and littered with candy wrappers and empty drink bottles yet despite locker-room notices Johnson, who was leading by a shot at the time, illegally grounded his club incurring a two-shot penalty to miss the play-off and eventually share fifth place.
Johnson got his first look at his namesake bunker earlier in the week and to his surprise it’s now all but covered completely by a grandstand.
‘Johnson’s Bunker’ now covered by a large corporate grandstand at the right side of the 18th fairway.
The corporate enclosure now covering ‘Johnson’s Bunker’.
However five years on from Whistling Straits Johnson has sought to move despite still be drawn into the controversy and when asked how many times since 2010 had he been asked about the bunker he replied: “About as many times as I’ve been asked the question.
“I mean, so, I don’t know how many times that is. But I don’t really think about it unless someone asks me a question.”
And when asked had he read the notices all about the locker room indicating that every bit of sand on the course is to be treated as though it were a bunker Johnson added: “I haven’t looked at them but I don’t need to. After what happened, I’m pretty sure I know what’s going on.”
Johnson, who turned 31 in June, has played among the final three groups on the weekend in each of the past five Majors only to see glory at the game’s highest level slip through his fingers.
The latest was three putting from 15-feet to lose to Jordan Spieth two months ago at Chambers Bay.
‘I like my chances at any venue but then coming back here to Whistling Straits where I went so close to winning a Major, definitely gives me a lot of confidence,’ said Johnson.`
