Dustin Johnson, Still Potent at Age 38, Shoots Career-Best 64 Thursday at U.S. Open

The 2016 U.S. Open champion had seven birdies at Los Angeles Country Club, riding a strong putter.

LOS ANGELES — The lumberjack beard has a little more gray, but Dustin Johnson still has the firepower to overpower any venue, just as he did in Thursday’s first round of the U.S. Open.

His 6-under 64 was his best round ever in a U.S. Open, only his 17th under par in 57 rounds and only his third round in red figures since a 69 in the third round in 2019, when he finished T35.

Known for his length, Johnson was T50 at Los Angeles Country Club in driving distance at 312.5, but instead rode a hot putter, ranking 12th in number of putts. 

“I drove it really well and controlled the distance with the irons really good, other than the last hole, didn't really hit a bad shot, just pulled it a little bit and it went a lot further than I thought,” Johnson said of his lone bogey at the par-3 9th, his last hole of the day. “Still was in an O.K. position to get it up-and-down and hit a nice putt. It was a little rude that that one didn't go in, but obviously I swung it really nicely today and hit a lot of good shots.”

It was in 2016 at Oakmont, a big ballpark by professional golf standards, that Johnson won his first major title with three rounds in the 60s including an opening round 67.

Seven years later, Johnson has another major title on his resume with the 2021 Masters, and since jumping to LIV Golf has won both in Boston last year and last month in Tulsa at 38 years old.

“I like the golf course,” Johnson said of LACC. “Obviously today they didn't have it set up all the way back like I would imagine it will be probably the next three days.”

Course setup will play a large part of who prevails on Sunday.

With damp conditions and clouds that acted like a blanket on Thursday, keeping the moisture in the turf, the tees and hole locations were key to scoring.

Thirty-seven players were under par after the first round and 55 were at par or better.

For comparison, only 25 players were under par after the first round at last year's U.S. Open at The Country Club.

In the end, only nine players finished under par with Matt Fitzpatrick winning at 6 under.

Johnson predicts the tees will be moved back and the hole locations in more difficult places over the next couple of days but said he doesn’t care.

“I had a great practice leading in," he said. “I've been playing pretty solid. Obviously won in Tulsa a few weeks ago, but the game has been trending in the right direction, and obviously I feel really comfortable over the golf ball right now.”