Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy all looking for different levels of better
Dustin Johnson hasn't won a golf tournament on American soil in 14 months. Justin Thomas has gone more than 10 months without a victory. Rory McIlroy hoisted a trophy in October, but hasn't finished atop the leaderboard at a major championship in more than seven years.
With the PGA Tour boasting a star-studded field at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines this week (Wednesday-Saturday on ESPN+), that trio of stars will start working toward ending their frustrating droughts. Johnson and Thomas will be competing on the North and South courses at Torrey Pines, while McIlroy will continue playing overseas this week in Dubai before heading back to the U.S. later this spring.
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Johnson, who is ranked No. 4 in the world, will be making his 2022 debut after missing the field for the Sentry Tournament of Champions for only the second time since he joined the tour in 2008. Yes, as difficult as it might be to believe, DJ didn't win on tour last year. He won the Saudi International in February 2021 and will return there next week to defend his title.
Johnson hasn't won in the U.S. since claiming a green jacket at the 2020 Masters and hasn't played since tying for 45th at the The CJ Cup at Summit in October. Last year, he became the first world No. 1 to miss back-to-back cuts in majors since Greg Norman in 1997. Johnson hasn't played exceptionally well at Torrey Pines, where he tied for 19th in the U.S. Open last year.
Thomas seemed ready to take off early last year, when he won the Players Championship and climbed to No. 2 in the world. But JT didn't win again and didn't have another top-10 finish in the U.S. until he tied for fourth at the Northern Trust and finished fourth at the