South Carolina's Johnson makes changes for the better coming into Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It has been an eventful year for Dustin Johnson. Since the 2014 Masters Tournament, the South Carolina native had his first child, a son with fiancee Paulina Gretzky -- a model and daughter of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. He also reaffirmed his status as one of the top young players in golf and one of the best who hasn't won a major.

Johnson, who played at Irmo and White Knoll high schools before becoming an All-American at Coastal Carolina, also had a six-month stretch away from golf. There's conflicting reports behind why Johnson cut his 2014 season short, missing out in competing in the Ryder Cup and FedEx Cup playoffs.

He said that he was taking a leave of absence to deal with personal challenges. Golf.com reported that Johnson had been suspended by the PGA Tour for failing a drug test for the third time, claiming cocaine was the substance in question. Johnson denied he was suspended, a claim the PGA Tour supported. But he's refused to offer details about the time away, leaving it unclear if it was sabbatical or exile.

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The one thing that is clear is that Johnson enters this week's Masters as one of the odds on favorite to win the tournament. In fact, the only thing that seems to have changed about Johnson's game over the past year is possible improvement.

"This year, I feel a little bit better coming in here, a little more confident in my game," Johnson said, specifically saying he's controlling his irons well and hitting his trademark mammoth drives even straighter. "I feel like I'm doing the right things with the golf game. I feel like continuing to get a little bit better. You know, with my play this year, definitely playing a lot more consistent and more solid coming in here."

The proof backs up Johnson's assessment. Playing against the best field of any tournament before this week, Johnson won the WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral to rise to No. 7 in the World Golf Ranking. That victory, the ninth of his PGA Tour career, put him in elite company. Johnson has now won at least one event on Tour for eight consecutive years, joining Tiger Woods as the only player to accomplish that feat.

In golf's three other majors, Johnson has contended for the title and posted seven top-10 finishes. All of that success hasn't helped Johnson at Augusta National Golf Club. In five previous appearances in the Masters, Johnson's best finish was a tie for 13th in 2013. Last year, he failed to make the cut, another poor result at a course that suits his game and in a tournament he reveres.

"The golf course, I feel like sets up very well for me. Just haven't really put it all together. So, I mean, I really can't explain it. I feel like I should play well here," said Johnson, who played Augusta National twice last week before playing practice rounds Monday and another Tuesday when he teamed with Brandt Snedeker against the duo of three-time green jacket winner Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler. "I've contended in all the other ones, just not here."

Perhaps that will change this year, especially since so much else has. Johnson admits to changes, which he said are positive.

"I definitely feel different. I'm a father now, so that's been the best thing that's happened this year," he said of the birth of his son Tatum, who's almost 12 weeks old and will be in attendance this week with his famous mother and grandparents. "You know, couldn't be in a better place right now in my life. I feel like my golf game's really good. My personal life's doing great. Yeah, I definitely feel different."

One of the things Johnson said was a change for the better was a greater sense of consistency. He said he's found a good routine -- on the golf course and away from it. He opened up that he's training on a more specific regiment, without shedding much light on other aspects of his personal life. He did say that hadn't always been the case in the past, saying he was more sporadic. Johnson did admit he's very happy living in Florida and doesn't have plans to move to California or back to the Palmetto State.

That's another reason the Masters is special to Johnson, it allows him time to see family and friends from his former home. It also allows him to play on golf's grandest stage, the one he was most transfixed to as youngster in Columbia.

"It's always my favorite place to come to every year. Growing up so close to here, it's always a treat for me to be here," said Johnson, who added he feels he's on the verge of a major breakthrough in his game but wouldn't offer any predictions for his performance in the Masters. "Who knows what will happen this week. I definitely feel the most confident in my game so far coming in this week than I have in years past, where I feel like everything's working fairly good right now."

Noah Feit is the sports editor for the Aiken Standard and has been a professional journalist for more than 15 years after graduating from Syracuse University.