Popov, DJ wins underline why golf is such an enigma

By Rahul Banerji

Sophia Popov and Dustin Johnson on Sunday pulled off wins that made the golfing world sit up and take notice by the sheer scale of the achievements.

Germany’s Popov came off a subsidiary tour to pocket the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Troon in Scotland by two shots practically and change her life.

Across the Atlantic, Johnson spread-eagled the field at The Northern Trust to win by an incredible 11 strokes and return to the top of the world rankings.

Two very different players, virtually from opposite ends of the golfing firmament.

And both with what could be career-defining victories.

For Popov, 27, who has been largely on the satellite Cactus and Symentra Tours, the title in Scotland opens many doors, including playing status on the elite LPGA Tour.

Popov topped the $4.5 million Women’s Open field with a superb final round of 3-under 68 to finish on 7-under-par and pocket 675,000 well-earned dollars in morale-breaking conditions.

In Boston, the swaggering Johnson coasted to a 22^nd career title with an astonishing 30-under par total over four days, one short of Ernie Els’ all-time record margin.

It boosted him back to number one in the world rankings for the first time since May last year as well as in the FedEx Cup race. Overall, he became the fifth this season to take the OGWR top spot.

“I’d like to stay there (as no. 1) for a little while,” Johnson said later.

“Obviously it’s been jumping around a bunch here the last few months, but the last time I was number one, I think I stayed there for quite some time.

“And that’s another goal of mine… to see how long I can stay at number one.”

Path-breaker

Popov, who lead by three shots from Saturday, came into the week ranked 304 on the Rolex Rankings. She also became the first German to win a women’s major championship, the Ladies European Tour website said.

She is also possibly the lowest-ranked player to capture the historic British championship. Last year too saw a fairytale winner emerge in

“It is an incredible story, something I could not dream of a week ago,” Popov said later.

“It is incredible that golf allows these things to happen and as one of 144 players this week, I just happened to have the week of my life. It is probably the best golf I have ever played.”

Last year, Popov missed out an LPGA Tour berth by a single stroke at qualifying school after battling health issues that almost saw her give up the game.

Serious omen

This year, she has won three times on the Cactus Tour in Arizona where top Indian amateur Anika Varma has been playing to gain exposure.

One of the titles was at Troon North in Scottsdale before she shifted to the subsidiary Symetra Tour with just days to go.

“Everyone said, how are you playing in Phoenix the week before The Open? I said, you know, my focus this year was still the Symetra Tour and that was more important to me as far as the Money List goes.

“I said, I’m going to stick with the schedule that I had. The AIG Women’s Open to me was a bonus and I got here on Tuesday.

“I said I know my game is in really good shape and anything’s possible and I think I took that belief with me to every round but I never expected this.”

Record feat

At TPC Boston Johnson reeled off performance that saw him card 67-60-64-63 (30-under-par) and win the first leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs by 11 stokes.

With five wins in the FedEx Cup series, Johnson is now tied with Rory McIlroy for the most in history.

That was just one of many notable elements to DJ’s week in Boston, the PGA Tour said.

One of the marks he set was a front-nine score of 27, including two eagles and five birdies. That put him 9-under in nine holes and tied the record for the lowest nine-hole score to par in PGA Tour history.

Johnson’s bogey-free 8-under 63 on Sunday gave him a third win at the Northern Trust (2011, 2017, 2020) and he joined Vijay Singh (four) as players with three or more event titles.

Narrow miss

His 30-under total was a stroke short of the all-time Tour record for most strokes under par in a 72-hole event (-31 by Els at the 2003 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

DJ’s 254 total was a stroke short of the lowest total in a 72-hole event, of  253 set by Justin Thomas at the 2017 Sony Open in Hawaii.

The 11-shot margin bettered Johnson’s previous biggest win, of eight shots at the 2018 Sentry Tournament of Champions.

In all, 25 bogey free rounds were recorded at this year’s tournament at TPC Boston.

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