DJ Dominates LA

It looks like prior history is rather important this season.

Last week, we talked about how Jordan Spieth had great success at the AT&T Pro-Am in previous years. He went on to dominate the field in his first win of the season.

This week, everyone talked about how successful Dustin Johnson has been at Riviera, even though he has never won.

We can forget about that last part now.

The winner ... and NEW No. 1 golfer in the world!

Dustin Johnson wins the @genesisopen for his 13th PGA TOUR victory. pic.twitter.com/tqKInt4oOt

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 20, 2017

In a 36-hole Sunday finish, DJ lapped the field, nearly broke the tournament scoring record, and climbed to the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Pretty nice Sunday.

Johnson started his day with a 3rd round -7 64, to enter his 2nd 18 of the day with a 5-shot lead. He would widen that margin to 9 at one point, until settling for an easy 5-shot victory with a closing even-par 71.

DJ also became the 20th player to become the #1 player in the world, taking over for Jason Day, who held the spot for almost 50 weeks.

Other notable finishes include Justin Rose T-4, Adam Scott T-11, Jordan Spieth T-22, and Phil Mickelson T-34.

The TOUR heads across the country this week for The Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Adam Scott is the defending champion, and will look to become just the second player to defend their title in the event, along with the great Jack Nicklaus.

The New Conquistador?

Well that was a hell of a prediction TJ...

For those who may have missed it, Tiger Woods did not in fact make the top 10 this week at Torrey Pines. But he was soooooo close...

Not.

Woods struggled to find the fairway in his first round, and failed to take advantage of finding the fairway in the second, shooting a +4 76-72 to miss the cut by 4.

Before you jump all over me, all 3 players in this primetime grouping (including Dustin Johnson and Jason Day) missed the cut.

Jason Day and Dustin Johnson will also miss the cut. Three big names slamming their trunks in the Torrey Pines parking lot.

— Ben Higgins (@BenHigginsSD) January 27, 2017

Woods actually did a good job of avoiding the big number, only making one double-bogey. His problem was his lack of birdies, just 5 in 36 holes.

Tiger heads to Asia this week for the for the Dubai Desert Classic, an event he has won twice. We will see if he can get his season going there.

I sure hope he does.

One guy who got his season and his young career going this weekend was Spaniard Jon Rahm. Just 22-years-old out of Arizona State, the second-year pro separated himself from the field on the back 9 at Torrey Pines South, going -6 in his last 8. That included 2 birdies and 2 eagles, including this bomb that all but sealed the deal on 18.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!

It doesn't get better than this. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/pTmEjJLj7N

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 29, 2017

Rahm shot a final round -7 65 to win the loaded tournament by 3 shots over the likes of former champion Brandt Snedeker, OSU-grad Charles Howell III, Justin Rose, and idol and former Sun Devil Phil Mickelson.

Many people are already calling Rahm the next big name in golf after one win. Only time will tell, but I think we need to be a little patient with a 22-year-old kid that just won his first tourney.

Rahm tees it up this week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, where he finished T-5th as an amateur two years ago. I'll have that preview, along with a Dubai Desert Classic preview, coming up soon.

That's all for now. Please Tiger, keep it in the short grass.