AUGUSTA, Ga. _ There are two very different ways to approach a 145-yard golf shot.
There's the Phil Mickelson way, which is to equate it to a mission to Mars. When Mickelson began explaining his thought process in the recently aired interview with David Feherty, he didn't give an answer so much as he launched a dissertation
"In my practice, I build a reference," Mickelson told Feherty. "So, I hit the same shot over and over, building a 9-iron that goes 145 yards, let's say. Now, that will vary based on temperature and altitude, which will change with time of day and whatnot as well as wind and those effects. One of the things people might say is, 'I hit my wedge 120.' Well, you might hit your wedge 120 under certain conditions. But in the morning, the ball's not going to go 120. Maybe in the afternoon when it's warmer and the ball heats up. But it's going to go five to 10 yards shorter in the morning. People don't factor that in."
And, then, there's the Dustin Johnson way. No physics required.
Asked to describe his pre-shot mental routine, the world's No. 1 player summed it up: "It's not too much. I get my number and kind of where I want to hit it and try to picture the shot going in."
Judge for yourself the best way to go about striking a little white ball.
Right now the See-Hit-Walk-Repeat Method is working splendidly. The uncluttered Johnson reports Thursday to the first round of the Masters with the world's No. 1 ranking, a three-tournament winning streak and the role of clear favorite to win his first green jacket.
The Masters and Johnson. Has kind of a sexy ring to it, don't you think?
"If there's a course built for someone _ we said that about Tiger Woods _ it's (Augusta National and) Dustin Johnson right now," World Golf Hall of Famer and Golf Channel analyst Colin Montgomerie said. "Obviously he's the guy to beat, if he can cope with the additional pressure that's on his shoulders."
Take the player who is, according to ESPN's resident champion Curtis Strange, "the best driver of the golf ball of all-time, other than Tiger Woods in 2000."
Add a hard-earned touch that has eliminated the most glaring deficiency in Johnson's game (although one stat to keep in mind this week is that he's a poor 194th on the PGA Tour in sand saves). Montgomerie, the European Ryder Cup captain in 2010, said their attitude then was, "Oh, don't worry, Dustin has got 120 yards _ he won't hit the green."
"These days are gone," Montgomery said.
All the physical advantages with which he was born _ "Dustin is just crazy, in a way kind of a freak of nature," said fellow pro Rickie Fowler _ have remained intact at the age of 32.
And then there's the mental constitution that has allowed Johnson to sail through trials and tribulations that might have left the more analytically prone person paralyzed on the side of the road. At the close of the 2014 season, he took the mysterious six-month leave from golf to get his life in order. He returned never bearing his soul and continuing a streak of consecutive years with at least one PGA Tour victory that now stands at an even, remarkable 10. Treated it all as just a rest stop on the interstate of life.
He has overcome enough calamity and fiery crashes in majors that Jason Statham will have to play him in the movie. It all culminated with the 2016 U.S. Open, in which he was ambushed by a mid-round penalty on Sunday and still won by three strokes. The enduring power of obliviousness has never had a better showing than that day.
Whatever is going on behind that blank expression will remain open to interpretation. On the course, Johnson steadfastly refuses to betray an emotion.
He is a golfer, therefore there must be anger. But you'd never know it.
"Yeah, I've gotten frustrated a few times. Probably when I was younger. I still get mad now, but I just don't show it as much," Johnson said. "I was taught very young that it's not the right way to act, and so I just kind of stopped. It doesn't look very good when you do it."
How this package will serve Johnson at this Masters is one of the tournament's big questions. This is his eighth appearance here, and he's starting to get the hang of it. Last year was his best finish yet _ fourth. Better is expected of him now.
He certainly doesn't seem to be taking any time away from working on his game to engage in a lot of deep thought and introspection. Maybe that's a good thing.
Like when he was asked this week when he realized he might be good enough to assume the top ranking in the whole wide world, Johnson saw no need to take a deep dive into his past.
"When Tiger stopped playing," he answered.
Same when asked why the favorite has not fared well recently in this tournament. Woods was the last world's No. 1 to win the Masters, a dozen years ago.
"I don't know," Johnson said. "It's the first time I've ever been the favorite."
What requires no keen insight is just how superbly Johnson is equipped to be the favorite here. Especially now that he has mastered the distance control on his short irons _ bound to be an important shot as he chops Augusta National down to size with his length off the tee.
The Masters and Johnson, a seemingly perfect fit.
"I've always liked the course. I always thought it suited my game very well," Johnson said.
"The last couple years I've done a little bit better, and I feel like I've had a chance. Obviously I'm playing well coming into this week, so hopefully I can continue that success, and I'm looking forward to giving myself a chance to win on Sunday."
Simple as that.
