Dustin Johnson poised for breakout year?

ST. LOUIS -- At this time of year in St. Louis, golf is a distant oasis. The game's not accessible, other than a sloppy, winter outing. The PGA Tour started in Hawaii, stopped in California, now heads to Florida. Right now, it's a little hard to relate.

The game's available on television. But Tiger Woods isn't playing and if we can believe the data, not many are watching.

But developments at the Northern Trust Open in Los Angeles over the weekend were interesting on several fronts. First, the Riviera golf course put on a show. In its ninth decade, the George Thomas design has hosted a U.S. Open, a Senior Open and two PGA Championships.

This isn't to suggest the course is an antiquated bandbox. It played at more than 7,300 yards last week, par-90 for the Bogeyman. But distance is nearly irrelevant where the play-for-pay crowd is concerned. If they played on the moon, Tour players would have trouble keeping it in the universe.

Riviera was fast and hard for the championship, and it produced a winning share of 6 under par. James Hahn then got his first PGA Tour win by beating Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey in overtime.

Point is, the venerable grounds didn't need to be tricked up to present a stout championship. Given the proper conditioning and presentation, classic designs can still hold their own.

St. Louisan Scott Langley, who shot a 69 on Sunday and tied for 22nd, put it well on Twitter: "Riviera is proof that a great design with fast and firm greens can stand the test of time. No tricks. Love that place!"

Hahn's performance has implications down the road. Not only does the 33-year-old secure privileges for two years, he busted down the Masters door and will be in the field April 9-12.

To that end, the T22 gives Langley $211,231.50 in earnings thus far. He is 123rd on the money list, 204th in the World Golf Rankings. He will need something spectacular in the next few weeks to get into his first Masters.

But where major championships are concerned, the most compelling context at Riviera was the play of Johnson. He disappeared from the circuit last August. If you believed his eloquently worded statement, he left on his own accord, to "seek professional help for personal challenges."

If you believe some accounts and anonymous sources, he left because he failed a drug test for the third time and was sent home by the PGA Tour. Frankly, what does it matter? If he failed multiple drug tests, he definitely has "personal challenges."

By retreat or suspension, Johnson walked away for five months. In January, he and fiance Paulina Gretzky welcomed a baby boy. Presumably, Johnson has been doing what his statement suggested he would, working on "mental health, physical well-being and emotional foundation." Being a parent for the first time might help.

Riviera was Johnson's third event upon his return. And let's just say his re-entry has gone a tiny bit better than Woods' turnaround. Johnson missed the cut at the Farmer's Insurance Open, then tied for fourth at the AT&T Pebble Beach.

On Sunday, he tied for the 72-hole lead before missing a 12-footer on the third playoff hole.

In short, it's a feel-good story for Hahn. But if you're filling out your Masters pool or fantasy league fields, put Johnson on your dance card.

His return appears true to the nut part of his statement. He appears "better equipped to fulfill my potential and become a consistent champion."

"It's really nice to know, especially after not playing for a little while, coming back and having to hit some clutch shots and make some putts and know that it's still there and I've got it," Johnson said in a news conference afterward.

Yes, it's there, always has been. "Johnnie," as you might imagine a hockey veteran father-in-law might call him, has eight PGA Tour wins and major championship game.

In 2010, he fell on his U.S. Open sword at Pebble Beach with a final-round 83. The same summer, he missed an opportunity at Whistling Straits by grounding his club in a "bunker." He tied for second at the 2011 British Open, tied for fourth at last year's U.S. Open.

Ol' Bogey has talked to Johnson on the range a couple of times, found him accommodating and gracious. He's made more than $25 million over the last seven years and turned 30 last June. If he's made some poor choices, is it hard to understand?

Golf commentators label Johnson as a big hitter, and he is. But as he demonstrated with a remarkable recovery shot on Sunday's second playoff hole, he's much more.

"Shows he doesn't have just great length off the tee; he has great hands, as well," said Casey, who was ringside. "A little bit like a John Daly, he has an all-around game. Fun to be part of it."

OK, a Daly comparison might not be the analogy Johnson's statement writers would choose. Daly has "fun" components in his "all-around game" as well, but not all of them are conducive to success. His picture should be Johnson's screen-saver, a reminder there's more to it than skill.

Johnson could have won Sunday by draining a 10-footer on 18, and he pulled that third playoff putt right off the bat. Getting there is one thing, getting home is another.

But if Johnson is giving the game the kind of focus and dedication it requires -- off the course and on -- he will be there often. He is a threat at Augusta and every major championship this season.

This article was written by Dan O'Neill from St. Louis Post-Dispatch and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.