Johnson injures back falling down stairs on eve of Masters

Dustin Johnson’s Masters hopes are in serious doubt, with the U.S. golfer suffering a back injury after he fell down a set of stairs.

Rory McIlroy admits he will not be “fulfilled” until he wins the Masters and becomes just the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam. He said more tournament players and former Masters champions wanted to play the Par 3 Contest, “stretching out the required time to complete it to a point that it became exceedingly hard to do it”. Winkle said Johnson hopes to be able to play.

“Dustin’s form is red-hot, but around here you just never know”. Two of those titles were World Golf Championships, and his undefeated week at the Match Play made him the first player to capture all four of the WGCs.

Plenty of people are backing Dustin Johnson to win his first Green Jacket – and it is clear why he is the favourite. If one has to pick a relatively anonymous Englishman to win it, Tommy Fleetwood (+8000) has been playing very well lately. I read somewhere that he’s played 99 holes at Augusta this week, fine-tuning his already otherworldly game. “I’m looking forward to the weather the way it’s going to be”. “But you very quickly snap out of it because this golf course and this tournament require the utmost concentration and focus and you really just have to focus on your job that day, and that’s trying to shoot the best score possible”.

His dreams of winning a year ago were ruined by two double-bogeys in the final round.

“I’ve realized that the more I can get comfortable with this golf course. and the more I can get comfortable in the environment and the surroundings, the better”, the 27-year-old Northern Irishman said.

McIlroy famously lost a four-shot lead in the final round in 2011 after collapsing to a closing 80 and knows limiting his mistakes is key to getting his hands on a green jacket.

Some golfers still got out on the course, including Mike Weir. With a reliable power fade off the tee and a wedge game that might be as good as any on tour, Johnson has no real weakness. DJ is a free spirit, he likes to have a good time, but he really has dedicated himself this year. The angled tee shots, the undulating, slippery greens, the tricky wind and the haunting history of Augusta National will be in every player’s mind – sometimes all at once, and often at the top of their backswing.

Conventional wisdom screams to pick Spieth and I must admit, he’s my favorite player these days since Tiger appears to have taken his final swing.