Dustin Johnson was at least three shots better than anyone else over the final two rounds at LIV Golf Korea.
Johnson went into the week in 27th in the LIV Golf standings. He had managed to register just one top 10 finish all season, with the 4Aces captain finishing tied for 10th in Singapore.
The 41-year-old did not get off to the best start in Busan. The two-time major champion was level par after the first two rounds. He made eight bogeys across Thursday and Friday.
However, he would not drop another shot over the remainder of the tournament. Johnson finished 10 under par for the week to end up in fourth place, two shots off making the playoff involving Joaquin Niemann and Talor Gooch.
Dustin Johnson reacts to finishing fourth at LIV Golf Korea
It was his first top five finish since Indianapolis last year. And Johnson suggested that he was particularly pleased with his performance given that he had not been feeling well at the start of the tournament.
“Starting really Saturday of the PGA, I’ve been really close, but actually felt really good. Even though I played really good on Sunday, I putted terribly. Played really well, drove it well,” he said.
“Even this week, unfortunately on Wednesday, I just got sick, and I barely made it through Thursday and Friday. It was everything I could do just to finish the rounds Thursday and Friday.
“Then felt a little better yesterday and a little bit better today, but still felt like s—.
“But I’ve been really swinging really nicely and rolling the putter good, too. I hit so many good putts today that could have gone in the hole and just didn’t make anything.”
Dustin Johnson says when he last felt so confident about his game
There has been a perception, fairly or not, that Johnson does not have the same drive that he had before he decided to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022.
He has won three times on LIV. The 2025 season was the first where he failed to register an individual victory. Nevertheless, it remains the case that Johnson has not had a top five finish in the majors since the 2020 Masters.
He was asked after Sunday’s final round whether this is the best he has felt about his game in some time.
“Yeah, it’s been a couple years. It’s felt close, but, finally I feel like it’s consistent, like I’m finally driving it like I normally do. So it obviously takes a lot of pressure off the rest of your game,” he said.
“Now I can focus more on my wedges and my irons and chipping and putting. I was driving it so poorly, all I was focusing on was driving it because that’s one of the strengths of my game. But it’s nice to see the game is coming around, and it’s really good.”
LIV Golf will certainly benefit if Johnson can now edge closer to something like his best.
He remains one of their biggest names, despite his form over the last couple of years.
And while he may be approaching the twilight of his career, it would definitely be a much-needed boost for LIV if Johnson’s fourth place finish in Korea is a sign of what is to come.