Every week of the 2010 PGA Tour season, the editorial staff of the SI Golf Group will conduct an e-mail roundtable. Check in on Mondays for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.
JOHNSON'S VICTORY AFTER A TOUGH SUMMER
David Dusek, deputy editor, Golf.com: Welcome to another PGA Tour Confidential. After imploding on Sunday at the U.S. Open, then missing a playoff at the PGA Championship after grounding his club in a bunker on the 72nd hole, Dustin Johnson was the last man standing at Cog Hill, defeating Paul Casey by one shot. Impressive fortitude was shown by a guy who's had plenty of tough luck this season. I open the floor to thoughts and observations.
Damon Hack, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: I think he just won Player of the Year.
Jim Herre, managing editor, SI Golf Group: Johnson has been playing well for the entire second half of the season. If he tacks on a solid Tour Championship and shows well in the Ryder Cup, I think he's the POY.
Alan Shipnuck, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Huge win for D.J. Now he can truly say he's over those rough Sundays. Forget this year, he's my pick for POY next year.
Submit a question for Alan Shipnuck's next mailbag.
Ryan Reiterman, senior producer, Golf.com: And Augusta.
Farrell Evans, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Johnson is a wonderful player in a savant kind of way. He hits it a mile and gets on with it. He's my early Masters favorite.
Herre: I also like Johnson's pace of play; he doesn't waste any time.
Rick Lipsey, writer-reporter, Sports Illustrated: Which killed him at the PGA.
Herre: Thought Johnny did a good job of analyzing Johnson's game. D.J. is simply sooo long. If he ever dials in his short irons, he could be a monster.
Reiterman: After being told all week how poor his wedge game was, it was great to see him step up on 17 and knock one close.
Lipsey: Poor is relative on Tour. The worst wedge player out there is still hitting lots of tight shots.
Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Johnson is a super stud. Could be No. 1 in the world in three years, maybe less depending on what Phil and Tiger do.
Mark Godich, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: You have to love Johnson's resolve. He'll be one of the stars at the Ryder Cup.
Van Sickle: If I had one pick to be my partner in a Ryder Cup match this year (sorry Phil and Tiger), I'm taking Dustin Johnson.
Jim Gorant, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: Johnson seems like Styrofoam under water. Whatever happens to this guy, there's no way to keep him down. He's got a lot of game and a great demeanor. Could definitely see him winning a lot over the next 10 years. With him and Moore and Casey in the spotlight, and the Woods-Mickelson-Harrington crowd fading, it was another one of those weeks that felt like "the new PGA Tour."
Dusek: I got that feeling as well. Mickelson had a backdoor top-eight finish, but Kevin Na and Matt Kuchar (again) also notched top-three finishes.
Van Sickle: If arthritis seriously curtails Phil's game, and Tiger doesn't climb back up the mountain, the game's two best players and biggest stars would be out of the picture. That leaves it wide open for the next wave to start rushing in. Whoever they end up being, Johnson will be one of them.
Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: I agree with Gorant that the more you look for an overall theme for 2010, the more you keep coming back to the 20-somethings like Johnson, Day, McIlroy, Fowler and others. Very big transition year.
Evans: I don't know if it was a transition year as much as it was a year when the proven stars like Phil and Tiger didn't shine much after the Masters.
Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Tiger and Phil aren't done. This has been more of a fallow year on the PGA Tour than a transitional one, with Dustin Johnson as the only breakout star.
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