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SPORTS Wednesday 22 February

Identifying the best in golf not as easy as 10 years ago

Dustin Johnson hits his approach shot on the 18th fairway during the final round of the Genesis Open golf tournament at Riviera Country Club on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017,
in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.
Associated Press

DOUG FERGUSON naments he won by at least since June, all against the British Open champion is better than anyone
AP Golf Writer eight shots or the two times strongest fields. Henrik Stenson and four- else’s, he’s able to play
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. he spent more than five But just a week earlier, time major champion Rory within himself and win,”
(AP) — Imagine the best straight years at No. 1. warning shots were sound- McIlroy, neither of whom Harrington said. “Whereas
players in golf competing The answer is a lot more ed that this could be a big has played as much this when you have half a doz-
at the absolute top of their difficult now, and it could year for Jordan Spieth. The early in the year. en guys capable of playing
games. take years to sort out. way he struck the ball at Padraig Harrington con- like that, it makes them all
Who’s the toughest to Jason Day has not won Pebble Beach, the way he templated the question look over their shoulder. ...
beat? since May and still held the always putts, perhaps he when he finished up at Riv- All of a sudden you’re turn-
World ranking computa- No. 1 ranking for 47 consec- would be headed for an- iera. He believes the answer ing up thinking, ‘I’ve got
tions aside, who’s the real utive weeks. In this culture other year like 2015 when lies between the ears. He to play great to win this
No. 1? of short attention spans, it’s he won two majors and also believes that’s difficult week.’ Maybe Dustin — at
That question was a lot eas- easy to forget that he won had a chance to win them for any of those six players this stage — could be think-
ier 10 years ago. seven times in 17 tourna- all. — and the list only figures ing, ‘I’ve just got to turn up
The evidence was the re- ments and at times looked The week before that, to get longer — because and play and I’m a winner.’
cord that Tiger Woods com- unbeatable doing it. Hideki Matsuyama won for they’re too busy looking That’s a lovely place to be.
piled, whether it was his 79 The new No. 1 is Dustin John- the fifth time worldwide in around at everyone else. And that’s where Tiger was.
victories in 17 full years on son, whose five-shot vic- his last nine starts. “When you have one play-
the PGA Tour, the 10 tour- tory at Riviera was his fourth Still to be considered are er who knows his ‘A’ game Continued on Page 18