Dustin Johnson is confident of further success in the FedExCup play-offs after claiming a return to the winner’s circle at The Northern Trust.
Johnson birdied the first sudden-death hole to snatch an unlikely play-off victory over Jordan Spieth at Glen Oaks Club, his fourth PGA Tour title of the campaign and his first since March.
The world No 1 won three consecutive events earlier in the season, but has struggled to replicate that form since falling down the stairs and injuring his back on the eve of the Masters.
Johnson showed signs his game was trending back in the right direction ahead of the PGA Tour’s season-ending events with top-20 finishes in his previous three starts, but now feels he’s back to his best.
“I feel like the game is finally back in form like it was leading into the Masters,” Johnson said. “I feel like I’m swinging everything really well and I got a lot of control over the golf ball.
“I’m feeling really good. Obviously getting the win here today gives me a lot of confidence going into next week and the rest of the play-offs.
“It’s been a struggle to get back to where I belong and where I feel like I should be, which is contending in golf tournaments and playing really good golf. This week I did that – I finally got back.”
Spieth took a three-shot lead into the final round and briefly held a five-stroke advantage during the final day, only to see Johnson fight back with a bogey-free 66 to take the contest to extra holes.
“I didn’t lose it tournament, he [Johnson] won it,” Spieth said in a post-tournament press conference. “I thought that was a fun show to be a part of.
“I feel great about my game. I had two great putting days, I had one bad putting day and one very average. Just get the putting more consistent.
“I recognized a couple tendencies that I got into my swing towards the end of the round that prevented me from hitting great iron shots like I did before, so I know what to work on.”
The FedExCup continues at the Dell Technologies Championship, live from September 1-4 on Sky Sports Golf
